1 00:00:00,860 --> 00:00:02,220 My name is Micaiah. 2 00:00:02,220 --> 00:00:04,860 Today's scripture reading is from 2 Corinthians 3 00:00:04,860 --> 00:00:09,860 nine, six through 11, page 997 4 00:00:10,100 --> 00:00:12,100 and the Bible's in the back of the pews. 5 00:00:13,700 --> 00:00:17,660 The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly 6 00:00:17,660 --> 00:00:19,540 and the person who sows generously 7 00:00:19,540 --> 00:00:21,440 will also reap generously. 8 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:25,060 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart, 9 00:00:25,060 --> 00:00:27,740 not reluctantly or out of compulsion, 10 00:00:27,740 --> 00:00:30,140 since God loves a cheerful giver 11 00:00:30,140 --> 00:00:33,780 and God is able to make every grace overflow to you 12 00:00:33,780 --> 00:00:37,840 so that in every way, having everything you need, 13 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,380 you may excel in every good work. 14 00:00:40,380 --> 00:00:42,780 As it is written, he distributed freely, 15 00:00:42,780 --> 00:00:45,940 he gave to the poor, his righteousness endures forever. 16 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:48,940 Now the one who provides seed for the sower 17 00:00:48,940 --> 00:00:52,500 and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed 18 00:00:52,500 --> 00:00:55,380 and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 19 00:00:55,380 --> 00:00:58,380 You will be enriched in every way for all generosity 20 00:00:58,380 --> 00:01:01,380 which produces thanksgiving to God through us. 21 00:01:01,380 --> 00:01:02,300 This is God's word. 22 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:13,680 God's plan for you is that you would be a cheerful giver. 23 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:21,300 God's plan for you and I is that we would be cheerful givers. 24 00:01:21,300 --> 00:01:26,300 If you are a believer, an apprentice of Jesus, 25 00:01:28,860 --> 00:01:31,260 a Christ honoring disciple, 26 00:01:31,260 --> 00:01:33,660 then I believe that God's plan 27 00:01:33,660 --> 00:01:36,460 is that you would be a cheerful giver. 28 00:01:37,860 --> 00:01:42,860 Not only is it his plan, but it is his power at work in you 29 00:01:44,260 --> 00:01:46,260 so that you might become just that. 30 00:01:46,260 --> 00:01:49,940 Matthew chapter 16, Jesus speaking to his disciples, 31 00:01:49,940 --> 00:01:51,540 he said, something to the effect of, 32 00:01:51,540 --> 00:01:54,340 if anyone wants to follow after me, 33 00:01:54,340 --> 00:01:59,340 let him first deny himself, take up his cross, 34 00:02:00,500 --> 00:02:01,900 and then follow me. 35 00:02:03,100 --> 00:02:06,300 Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it, 36 00:02:06,300 --> 00:02:10,100 but whoever loses his life because of me will save it. 37 00:02:11,740 --> 00:02:13,500 For what will it benefit me? 38 00:02:13,500 --> 00:02:18,500 For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world 39 00:02:18,500 --> 00:02:20,140 yet loses his life? 40 00:02:20,140 --> 00:02:23,500 Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life 41 00:02:23,500 --> 00:02:26,940 for the son of man is going to come with his angels 42 00:02:26,940 --> 00:02:28,540 in the glory of his father, 43 00:02:28,540 --> 00:02:32,460 and then he will reward each according to what he has done. 44 00:02:34,500 --> 00:02:39,500 To follow after Jesus is to open up all areas of your life, 45 00:02:39,980 --> 00:02:41,940 all areas of your life to Jesus 46 00:02:41,940 --> 00:02:44,940 and to allow Jesus to reshape them, 47 00:02:44,940 --> 00:02:46,420 not only our actions, 48 00:02:46,420 --> 00:02:49,220 but also the motives of our heart as well. 49 00:02:50,740 --> 00:02:53,980 I believe that it is a mark of a Christian 50 00:02:53,980 --> 00:02:56,980 to grow in generosity. 51 00:02:59,060 --> 00:03:02,140 And today's scripture says some pretty striking things 52 00:03:02,140 --> 00:03:06,540 to us about this, and I believe we will be shaped by it 53 00:03:06,540 --> 00:03:09,180 if we allow it to shape us this morning. 54 00:03:09,180 --> 00:03:11,660 But first, let's give a quick background on this passage 55 00:03:11,660 --> 00:03:14,460 that we read out of 2 Corinthians. 56 00:03:15,860 --> 00:03:18,460 The background is this, the Jewish Christians 57 00:03:18,460 --> 00:03:22,060 who are in Jerusalem are in dire straits. 58 00:03:23,380 --> 00:03:25,420 A famine has hit the region, 59 00:03:26,460 --> 00:03:28,660 and they have fallen into poverty, 60 00:03:29,660 --> 00:03:32,180 and they're in great need of provisions. 61 00:03:33,260 --> 00:03:36,300 Now the apostle Paul who was called to be a light 62 00:03:36,300 --> 00:03:39,420 to the Gentiles and a minister to the Gentiles, 63 00:03:39,420 --> 00:03:43,060 he's moved to do something about the plight 64 00:03:43,060 --> 00:03:45,020 of the church in Jerusalem, 65 00:03:45,020 --> 00:03:47,220 the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. 66 00:03:47,220 --> 00:03:51,020 And so he went to these new churches that he had started, 67 00:03:52,820 --> 00:03:54,820 which were mostly full of non-Jews, 68 00:03:55,980 --> 00:03:58,740 and he was asking them, could we put together a donation? 69 00:03:58,740 --> 00:04:03,740 Let's put together a donation to the church in Jerusalem, 70 00:04:03,740 --> 00:04:06,420 to those Jewish believers, and this could become 71 00:04:06,420 --> 00:04:09,260 a great sign of unity. 72 00:04:09,260 --> 00:04:12,980 This could say we are one in Christ, 73 00:04:12,980 --> 00:04:16,260 that though they are Jew and Gentile as believers, 74 00:04:16,260 --> 00:04:19,180 they truly are the one new people in Christ. 75 00:04:20,460 --> 00:04:23,740 And this letter, 2 Corinthians was written, 76 00:04:23,740 --> 00:04:26,260 because while many of the other churches had made good 77 00:04:26,260 --> 00:04:29,900 on their pledge to give, the church in Corinth 78 00:04:29,900 --> 00:04:31,420 had yet to follow through. 79 00:04:31,420 --> 00:04:35,580 And Paul is concerned, because for Paul, 80 00:04:35,580 --> 00:04:38,020 this isn't just about the gift itself, 81 00:04:39,220 --> 00:04:41,500 but there's something more, it says something more 82 00:04:41,500 --> 00:04:43,100 about the church in Corinth. 83 00:04:44,300 --> 00:04:47,780 It says something about have they truly been transformed 84 00:04:47,780 --> 00:04:48,900 at a heart level? 85 00:04:50,500 --> 00:04:53,740 Has the gospel actually reoriented their lives 86 00:04:53,740 --> 00:04:55,300 around Jesus or not? 87 00:04:56,700 --> 00:05:00,020 Because the heart of the gospel is just the heart, 88 00:05:00,020 --> 00:05:02,460 the heart of the gospel is generosity. 89 00:05:04,820 --> 00:05:07,420 In fact, Paul points this out to this very audience, 90 00:05:07,420 --> 00:05:09,700 just the chapter before, in chapter eight, 91 00:05:09,700 --> 00:05:12,100 when he says this, in verse nine of chapter eight, 92 00:05:12,100 --> 00:05:14,220 he says, for you know, the church in Corinth, 93 00:05:14,220 --> 00:05:17,260 you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 94 00:05:17,260 --> 00:05:22,140 that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, 95 00:05:22,140 --> 00:05:26,100 so that by his poverty, you might become rich. 96 00:05:26,100 --> 00:05:30,020 See, the gospel is about Christ giving to such a degree 97 00:05:30,020 --> 00:05:32,780 that he divests himself and becomes poor, 98 00:05:32,780 --> 00:05:35,300 so that you and I might become rich. 99 00:05:36,940 --> 00:05:40,100 And because of this, we need this word today 100 00:05:40,100 --> 00:05:44,380 from 2 Corinthians, because it goes to the very heart 101 00:05:44,380 --> 00:05:46,940 of what it means to bring the gospel to life. 102 00:05:48,420 --> 00:05:53,420 So let's start with chapter nine, verse six, 103 00:05:53,420 --> 00:05:58,420 and our first point this morning, which is the act of giving. 104 00:05:59,420 --> 00:06:02,020 Verse nine, or chapter nine, verse six says, 105 00:06:02,020 --> 00:06:06,540 the person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, 106 00:06:06,540 --> 00:06:09,140 and the person who sows generously 107 00:06:09,140 --> 00:06:12,100 will also reap generously. 108 00:06:13,460 --> 00:06:18,460 Using this agricultural illustration, Paul says 109 00:06:18,700 --> 00:06:22,020 that the act of giving is like sowing seed, 110 00:06:22,020 --> 00:06:24,620 like a farmer would sow seed out in his field, right? 111 00:06:26,340 --> 00:06:27,740 But that's kind of interesting, right? 112 00:06:27,740 --> 00:06:30,020 Because a lot of people think of the act of giving as 113 00:06:30,020 --> 00:06:32,940 something like this, A, I have something, B, 114 00:06:32,940 --> 00:06:35,940 in the act of giving, I give it away and I no longer have it. 115 00:06:37,620 --> 00:06:38,700 End of transaction. 116 00:06:39,740 --> 00:06:40,580 That's it. 117 00:06:41,420 --> 00:06:44,060 That's not how a farmer who sows seed 118 00:06:44,060 --> 00:06:46,380 goes to the field thinking, is it? 119 00:06:47,180 --> 00:06:49,900 I have seed, I'm gonna go sow my seed, 120 00:06:49,900 --> 00:06:53,620 oh, I don't have my seed anymore, guess I'll go home. 121 00:06:53,620 --> 00:06:54,940 All done. 122 00:06:54,940 --> 00:06:55,780 Over. 123 00:06:57,700 --> 00:07:00,740 Paul's using this illustration because there's something more 124 00:07:00,740 --> 00:07:02,900 about the kind of giving he's talking about. 125 00:07:05,300 --> 00:07:08,100 A farmer views his seed more like an investment, 126 00:07:09,140 --> 00:07:12,620 that they hope and pray and expect to produce something 127 00:07:12,620 --> 00:07:14,820 way more than the seed that was planted. 128 00:07:14,820 --> 00:07:18,220 They hope and they pray and they expect a harvest of sorts. 129 00:07:18,220 --> 00:07:23,220 And so we see that there are two ways in verse six to give. 130 00:07:23,940 --> 00:07:27,940 Number one, we can sow or give sparingly. 131 00:07:27,940 --> 00:07:31,620 Number two, we can sow, give generously. 132 00:07:33,020 --> 00:07:35,500 So let's take a look at these two terms, 133 00:07:35,500 --> 00:07:37,700 sparingly and generously. 134 00:07:37,700 --> 00:07:42,700 Sparingly means something to the effect of in a small amount 135 00:07:42,700 --> 00:07:47,700 or restricted or infrequent without wasting any. 136 00:07:51,780 --> 00:07:55,780 Words like thriftily and stingy are associated 137 00:07:55,780 --> 00:07:59,780 with the Greek word being used in verse six for sparingly. 138 00:08:01,180 --> 00:08:03,180 I had an opportunity to go with Pastor Mike, 139 00:08:03,180 --> 00:08:05,340 he's not here today, but had an opportunity 140 00:08:05,340 --> 00:08:09,140 with Pastor Mike up to Portland to spend some time 141 00:08:09,140 --> 00:08:11,300 with some of the people that are here today. 142 00:08:11,300 --> 00:08:13,300 To spend some time with some pastors 143 00:08:13,300 --> 00:08:16,580 and our national director, Jim Lyon. 144 00:08:16,580 --> 00:08:18,700 And to have some great discussions, 145 00:08:18,700 --> 00:08:21,660 but one of the evenings we decided we were gonna hop over 146 00:08:21,660 --> 00:08:24,100 to have some dinner at Red Robin. 147 00:08:24,100 --> 00:08:26,940 Now you guys, what is Red Robin known for? 148 00:08:28,460 --> 00:08:30,580 Bottomless fries, right? 149 00:08:30,580 --> 00:08:31,580 Bottomless fries. 150 00:08:31,580 --> 00:08:34,140 So you go there and you're like, get ready, 151 00:08:34,140 --> 00:08:37,740 because we're about to have a lot, a lot of potatoes. 152 00:08:37,740 --> 00:08:41,100 Well, we head over there and the first order comes out 153 00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:43,940 begins to come out and our plate has our burger on it. 154 00:08:43,940 --> 00:08:47,180 And then the smallest amount of fries you can imagine 155 00:08:47,180 --> 00:08:48,660 are on that plate. 156 00:08:48,660 --> 00:08:50,380 Now it's bottomless, right? 157 00:08:50,380 --> 00:08:52,260 But you know the gig, right? 158 00:08:52,260 --> 00:08:54,660 Eat the burger, you're not gonna have that much room 159 00:08:54,660 --> 00:08:56,860 for the fries, it's a marketing. 160 00:08:56,860 --> 00:08:59,180 So me and Jackie, we look at each other 161 00:08:59,180 --> 00:09:03,740 and we're like, Jackie Williams, yeah, 162 00:09:03,740 --> 00:09:06,140 over at Grace Ministries. 163 00:09:07,500 --> 00:09:09,060 She was there and we look at each other 164 00:09:09,060 --> 00:09:10,500 and we're like, that's not enough. 165 00:09:10,500 --> 00:09:12,740 No, no, no, no, no, no. 166 00:09:12,740 --> 00:09:14,220 And so like, can we get our second, 167 00:09:14,220 --> 00:09:15,820 maybe our third round right now? 168 00:09:15,820 --> 00:09:18,940 Like just bring the fries, come on, bring the fries. 169 00:09:18,940 --> 00:09:21,140 We're about to invest in this. 170 00:09:21,140 --> 00:09:24,300 So we wanna dig in and we want to be full afterward. 171 00:09:24,300 --> 00:09:29,300 And we went here expecting bottomless fries. 172 00:09:29,300 --> 00:09:33,100 Well, that to me is generous. 173 00:09:33,100 --> 00:09:34,180 Bottomless fries. 174 00:09:34,180 --> 00:09:36,300 Now they tried to be stingy about it. 175 00:09:36,300 --> 00:09:38,500 They tried to get me to eat my burger first 176 00:09:38,500 --> 00:09:40,740 and not enjoy all those fries. 177 00:09:40,740 --> 00:09:41,780 Well, we weren't gonna have that 178 00:09:41,780 --> 00:09:43,180 and so we asked for more. 179 00:09:44,180 --> 00:09:47,340 Can't contrast that with sowing and giving generously 180 00:09:48,380 --> 00:09:50,980 as they were stingy, but yeah. 181 00:09:50,980 --> 00:09:53,220 We wanna sow and give generously. 182 00:09:53,220 --> 00:09:55,620 Well, generous means that it's in a way 183 00:09:55,620 --> 00:09:59,580 that shows a readiness to give more of something. 184 00:09:59,580 --> 00:10:03,220 A readiness to give more of something, especially money, 185 00:10:03,220 --> 00:10:06,300 more than is necessary or expected. 186 00:10:06,300 --> 00:10:09,220 More, these are just dictionary definitions, guys. 187 00:10:09,220 --> 00:10:11,620 They're right there on Google if you wanna look them up. 188 00:10:11,620 --> 00:10:16,620 More than is necessary or expected, 189 00:10:16,620 --> 00:10:18,820 enough or more than enough, 190 00:10:18,820 --> 00:10:22,300 and then the final word is plentiful, plentiful. 191 00:10:22,300 --> 00:10:23,620 And the Greek word for generous, 192 00:10:23,620 --> 00:10:26,460 it carries meanings of like blessing. 193 00:10:26,460 --> 00:10:28,740 Like what does it feel like to be blessed? 194 00:10:28,740 --> 00:10:33,100 This kind of bountiful, overflowing, overfilled sense. 195 00:10:33,100 --> 00:10:38,100 It's like praise being given over the top. 196 00:10:38,100 --> 00:10:39,340 That's what generous means. 197 00:10:39,340 --> 00:10:42,100 Stingy in small amounts, restricted, 198 00:10:42,100 --> 00:10:43,740 infrequent, without wasting. 199 00:10:43,740 --> 00:10:45,780 Generous in a way that shows a readiness 200 00:10:45,780 --> 00:10:48,300 to give more of something, especially money, 201 00:10:48,300 --> 00:10:50,500 than is necessary or even expected. 202 00:10:53,380 --> 00:10:55,540 So we first have to look at the act of giving. 203 00:10:55,540 --> 00:10:59,380 Will it be sparingly or generously? 204 00:10:59,380 --> 00:11:01,900 Will it be in small, restricted, infrequent, 205 00:11:01,900 --> 00:11:06,180 stingy amounts or in a way that is more than is necessary 206 00:11:06,180 --> 00:11:08,980 or expected, more than enough? 207 00:11:09,940 --> 00:11:11,900 There's two ways to give. 208 00:11:13,420 --> 00:11:15,020 But one thing we have to remember 209 00:11:15,020 --> 00:11:17,580 is that the size of the harvest 210 00:11:17,580 --> 00:11:21,340 is directly proportional to the amount of seed sown. 211 00:11:22,380 --> 00:11:25,860 The size of the harvest is directly proportional 212 00:11:25,860 --> 00:11:27,900 to the amount of seed sown. 213 00:11:27,900 --> 00:11:31,900 So sparingly, reap sparingly. 214 00:11:31,900 --> 00:11:35,500 So generously, reap generously. 215 00:11:37,500 --> 00:11:39,300 This idea is not new to Paul, though. 216 00:11:39,300 --> 00:11:40,620 He's really actually just drawing 217 00:11:40,620 --> 00:11:44,300 from an Old Testament proverb out of chapter 11, 218 00:11:44,300 --> 00:11:46,900 verse 24 and 25 of the book of Proverbs, 219 00:11:46,900 --> 00:11:51,300 where it says, one person gives freely, yet gains more. 220 00:11:52,420 --> 00:11:55,180 Another withholds what is really given, 221 00:11:55,180 --> 00:12:00,180 another withholds what is right, only to become poor. 222 00:12:01,700 --> 00:12:04,420 A generous person will be enriched, 223 00:12:04,420 --> 00:12:08,940 and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water. 224 00:12:10,740 --> 00:12:14,220 And so the first point is, in the act of giving, 225 00:12:14,220 --> 00:12:18,100 there are two ways, generous or sparingly, 226 00:12:19,860 --> 00:12:21,700 stingy or bountiful. 227 00:12:21,700 --> 00:12:23,500 Next up, we come to verse seven, 228 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:27,940 where each person should do as he has decided in his heart, 229 00:12:27,940 --> 00:12:30,700 not reluctantly or out of compulsion, 230 00:12:30,700 --> 00:12:33,900 since God loves a cheerful giver. 231 00:12:35,900 --> 00:12:38,860 The second point is the heart of giving. 232 00:12:40,700 --> 00:12:42,180 The heart of giving. 233 00:12:43,700 --> 00:12:45,500 In the act of giving, we talked about 234 00:12:45,500 --> 00:12:47,260 the quantity of the sowing 235 00:12:47,260 --> 00:12:49,220 and its relationship to the harvest, 236 00:12:49,220 --> 00:12:51,740 but Paul goes deeper in this passage. 237 00:12:51,740 --> 00:12:54,180 He wants the folks in Corinth to see 238 00:12:54,180 --> 00:12:56,340 that what God cares more about, 239 00:12:58,140 --> 00:13:00,780 he cares way more than just the moving of the body, 240 00:13:00,780 --> 00:13:04,620 he cares more about the heart, the motive of the heart. 241 00:13:07,340 --> 00:13:10,540 Does the giving move your heart, 242 00:13:10,540 --> 00:13:14,980 or is it a mechanical dry obedience? 243 00:13:14,980 --> 00:13:18,300 What is the motive of the heart in giving? 244 00:13:18,300 --> 00:13:20,620 And bigger than that, what is the motive in the heart 245 00:13:20,620 --> 00:13:22,940 in doing anything that is right? 246 00:13:24,860 --> 00:13:27,180 We live in a culture that says things like, 247 00:13:27,180 --> 00:13:29,500 fake it till you make it. 248 00:13:30,740 --> 00:13:32,580 Fake it till you make it, 249 00:13:32,580 --> 00:13:35,020 and it may be a great way to become a better salesperson 250 00:13:35,020 --> 00:13:38,060 or a celebrity or a YouTube personality, 251 00:13:39,100 --> 00:13:42,860 or the favorite one, right, the big brand one, 252 00:13:42,860 --> 00:13:45,460 is just do it, right, just do it. 253 00:13:47,060 --> 00:13:50,220 It may be a great motto for selling shoes, 254 00:13:50,220 --> 00:13:52,140 but it's not biblical, 255 00:13:52,140 --> 00:13:54,300 because God actually cares about 256 00:13:54,300 --> 00:13:56,140 the inclinations of our heart. 257 00:13:56,860 --> 00:14:01,060 He actually cares where our heart is seated on any matter. 258 00:14:01,060 --> 00:14:03,700 To God, it's always a matter of the heart. 259 00:14:06,140 --> 00:14:08,140 A person may say to a child, 260 00:14:08,140 --> 00:14:10,820 just do it because I said so. 261 00:14:10,820 --> 00:14:13,020 Just obey. 262 00:14:14,180 --> 00:14:17,580 But a parent doesn't delight in that kind of obedience. 263 00:14:19,540 --> 00:14:23,940 The cold mechanical fall in line, yes sir, sergeant sir, 264 00:14:23,940 --> 00:14:27,660 that may be efficient, but it's not lovely. 265 00:14:29,340 --> 00:14:32,740 It may be expedient, but it's not delightful. 266 00:14:35,740 --> 00:14:39,740 The matter of the heart is not a matter of love, 267 00:14:39,740 --> 00:14:42,820 but a matter of the heart, the matter of giving, 268 00:14:42,820 --> 00:14:45,220 must be in a certain way 269 00:14:46,860 --> 00:14:50,220 for us to have the result that this verse talks about. 270 00:14:51,460 --> 00:14:55,940 And the matter of giving must be decided in your own heart 271 00:14:55,940 --> 00:14:59,020 whether you will give sparingly or generously. 272 00:15:01,180 --> 00:15:04,380 Not reluctantly, which actually literally means 273 00:15:04,380 --> 00:15:06,580 not from grief. 274 00:15:06,580 --> 00:15:09,580 Oh, I don't want to, no. 275 00:15:09,580 --> 00:15:10,980 I don't want to give this. 276 00:15:12,940 --> 00:15:14,420 I guess I will. 277 00:15:14,420 --> 00:15:16,780 Not out of compulsion, which is voluntary, 278 00:15:16,780 --> 00:15:19,300 not to avoid some sort of punishment, 279 00:15:19,300 --> 00:15:22,500 even social punishment, people looking down on you. 280 00:15:22,500 --> 00:15:25,180 It should not be given to avoid looking bad 281 00:15:25,180 --> 00:15:28,380 in front of people or in order to get praise from people. 282 00:15:28,380 --> 00:15:31,140 Look how much I gave or look that I gave. 283 00:15:32,460 --> 00:15:34,060 All of those are compulsion. 284 00:15:35,660 --> 00:15:39,420 It should not be reluctantly from grief. 285 00:15:39,420 --> 00:15:41,380 It should not be out of compulsion. 286 00:15:41,380 --> 00:15:44,180 It should be whatever has been decided in your heart, 287 00:15:44,180 --> 00:15:47,500 whether you will so sparingly or generously. 288 00:15:49,700 --> 00:15:51,340 And then finally it says why? 289 00:15:51,340 --> 00:15:56,340 Well, because God loves a cheerful giver. 290 00:15:57,580 --> 00:16:01,060 God loves a cheerful giver. 291 00:16:03,180 --> 00:16:05,900 Love is like that word we might say to one another, 292 00:16:05,900 --> 00:16:07,140 you are my beloved. 293 00:16:07,140 --> 00:16:10,980 Views as beloved, a cheerful giver. 294 00:16:12,420 --> 00:16:13,260 What does that mean though? 295 00:16:13,260 --> 00:16:15,900 What, that God loves a cheerful giver? 296 00:16:15,900 --> 00:16:19,060 Well, Paul was talking in the book of Philippians 297 00:16:19,060 --> 00:16:21,500 to that crew over there in Philippi, 298 00:16:21,500 --> 00:16:24,540 and he's talking about a gift that they had sent to him 299 00:16:24,540 --> 00:16:26,980 when he was in need and he needed supply, 300 00:16:26,980 --> 00:16:28,740 and so they had freely sent a gift to him 301 00:16:28,740 --> 00:16:30,340 to support his ministry. 302 00:16:31,300 --> 00:16:33,420 And in talking to them about that, he said, 303 00:16:33,420 --> 00:16:35,700 you know what, I didn't seek the gift, 304 00:16:35,700 --> 00:16:40,700 but in your giving, I hoped that you might get a credit 305 00:16:41,340 --> 00:16:44,140 on your account because of your giving. 306 00:16:45,180 --> 00:16:47,500 And then he says this after that, he said, 307 00:16:47,500 --> 00:16:52,500 but I have received everything in full and have an abundance. 308 00:16:52,500 --> 00:16:56,620 I am fully supplied having received from Epaphroditus 309 00:16:56,620 --> 00:16:58,540 what you provided. 310 00:16:58,540 --> 00:17:00,780 And then there's a little dash there, 311 00:17:00,780 --> 00:17:03,500 and it says, a fragrant offering. 312 00:17:03,500 --> 00:17:08,500 A fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, 313 00:17:09,260 --> 00:17:10,660 pleasing to God. 314 00:17:13,180 --> 00:17:15,740 Paul's saying that their generosity to him, 315 00:17:15,740 --> 00:17:19,620 to supply for his needs, to accomplish the ministry 316 00:17:19,620 --> 00:17:22,940 was like a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, 317 00:17:22,940 --> 00:17:26,860 an act of worship that was pleasing God. 318 00:17:26,860 --> 00:17:29,380 It pleased the Lord what they had done. 319 00:17:29,380 --> 00:17:31,980 Paul is saying that God sees their generosity 320 00:17:31,980 --> 00:17:36,500 as worship to him, and he sees it as honoring him. 321 00:17:38,100 --> 00:17:40,900 And I think there's at least three reasons why 322 00:17:41,900 --> 00:17:45,020 their generosity and our generosity 323 00:17:45,020 --> 00:17:47,660 would be honoring and pleasing to God. 324 00:17:47,660 --> 00:17:51,180 The first is that God loves to be trusted. 325 00:17:53,140 --> 00:17:55,140 God loves to be trusted. 326 00:17:56,140 --> 00:17:58,220 God loves to be telegraphed. 327 00:17:58,220 --> 00:18:00,300 And God loves to be thanked. 328 00:18:02,300 --> 00:18:06,060 In cheerful giving, a believer does all three of these. 329 00:18:06,940 --> 00:18:10,020 God loves when his children trust him. 330 00:18:10,020 --> 00:18:13,420 This brings God great delight. 331 00:18:13,420 --> 00:18:17,740 Psalm 147 says that the Lord values those who fear him, 332 00:18:17,740 --> 00:18:22,740 those who put their hope in his faithful love. 333 00:18:23,340 --> 00:18:26,340 God values those who fear him, those who fear him, 334 00:18:26,340 --> 00:18:29,060 values those who fear him, those who put their hope 335 00:18:29,060 --> 00:18:30,180 in his faithful love. 336 00:18:30,180 --> 00:18:32,900 Cheerful giving shows trust in God. 337 00:18:34,740 --> 00:18:36,860 It isn't from grief. 338 00:18:36,860 --> 00:18:40,740 No, no, no, I'm going to be without if I give. 339 00:18:40,740 --> 00:18:43,980 It echoes the words of Psalm 23, which begin, 340 00:18:43,980 --> 00:18:48,340 the Lord is my shepherd, and in the CSB it says, 341 00:18:48,340 --> 00:18:50,420 I have all I need. 342 00:18:51,540 --> 00:18:53,620 The Lord is my shepherd. 343 00:18:53,620 --> 00:18:56,340 I have all I need. 344 00:18:56,340 --> 00:18:58,860 Cheerful giving shows trust in God. 345 00:19:00,900 --> 00:19:04,700 It says, I have all I need in him. 346 00:19:04,700 --> 00:19:07,180 And God loves to be trusted. 347 00:19:08,820 --> 00:19:10,940 God also loves to be telegraphed. 348 00:19:10,940 --> 00:19:13,100 To be honest, I needed another T word here, 349 00:19:13,100 --> 00:19:14,380 so I chose the closest one, 350 00:19:14,380 --> 00:19:16,580 and you guys are like, telegraph, what's that? 351 00:19:17,940 --> 00:19:20,620 God loves when we broadcast or telegraph 352 00:19:20,620 --> 00:19:23,820 his character and his nature. 353 00:19:23,820 --> 00:19:27,500 He loves when his people reflect his goodness. 354 00:19:28,540 --> 00:19:29,380 Why? 355 00:19:29,380 --> 00:19:32,140 Because God loves his glory. 356 00:19:33,060 --> 00:19:34,780 That's a tough one to hear sometimes, 357 00:19:34,780 --> 00:19:37,740 because we immediately think of a self-centered, 358 00:19:37,740 --> 00:19:41,500 arrogant, proud person who is all about themselves. 359 00:19:43,220 --> 00:19:46,460 But if you really think about God loving his own glory, 360 00:19:47,420 --> 00:19:50,580 and you recognize, you trace it all the way back to creation, 361 00:19:50,580 --> 00:19:52,740 and out of which God created everything, 362 00:19:52,740 --> 00:19:55,180 because God is good and he saw it good, 363 00:19:56,660 --> 00:19:59,580 then this magnificent being we call God 364 00:19:59,580 --> 00:20:02,300 should be glorified, because his glory is our good. 365 00:20:03,700 --> 00:20:05,740 His glory is our good. 366 00:20:05,740 --> 00:20:07,460 And he loves his good. 367 00:20:07,460 --> 00:20:11,460 Later on in Psalm 23, he says, he renews my life, 368 00:20:11,460 --> 00:20:15,980 he leads me along the right paths for his name's sake. 369 00:20:15,980 --> 00:20:17,860 He does it for his name's sake, 370 00:20:17,860 --> 00:20:19,580 that he might be glorified, 371 00:20:19,580 --> 00:20:22,300 that people might see and wonder, 372 00:20:22,300 --> 00:20:26,260 who is this great God who would do such things? 373 00:20:26,260 --> 00:20:29,020 He renews my life, he leads me to do right things, 374 00:20:29,020 --> 00:20:31,700 and he does it all for his name's sake, 375 00:20:31,700 --> 00:20:34,740 that it would be telegraphed to all the cosmos 376 00:20:34,740 --> 00:20:37,860 of how great and awesome and good he is. 377 00:20:40,380 --> 00:20:44,780 Nothing more good for us is his glory being great. 378 00:20:46,540 --> 00:20:49,100 Cheerful givers telegraph the goodness 379 00:20:49,100 --> 00:20:53,260 and the faithful love of God to all the world, 380 00:20:53,260 --> 00:20:55,980 and God gets glory when we cheerfully give. 381 00:20:57,340 --> 00:21:00,100 God loves when his children trust him, 382 00:21:00,100 --> 00:21:03,220 God loves when his character is telegraphed 383 00:21:03,220 --> 00:21:07,300 through his creation, and lastly, God loves to be thanked. 384 00:21:09,180 --> 00:21:11,420 The last verse of our scripture this morning says, 385 00:21:11,420 --> 00:21:15,140 you will be enriched in every way for all generosity. 386 00:21:15,140 --> 00:21:19,060 You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, why? 387 00:21:20,940 --> 00:21:22,260 Why will you be enriched? 388 00:21:24,740 --> 00:21:27,460 It'll produce thanksgiving to God through us. 389 00:21:28,820 --> 00:21:31,260 You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, 390 00:21:31,260 --> 00:21:34,820 which produces thanksgiving to God through us. 391 00:21:34,820 --> 00:21:36,220 God loves a cheerful giver, 392 00:21:36,220 --> 00:21:39,940 because a cheerful giver is one who trusts God to provide, 393 00:21:39,940 --> 00:21:42,940 who telegraphs God's goodness to all creation, 394 00:21:42,940 --> 00:21:46,660 and because cheerful giving results in thanksgiving to God, 395 00:21:46,660 --> 00:21:49,380 God loves to be thanked. 396 00:21:49,380 --> 00:21:51,220 We all do, right? 397 00:21:51,220 --> 00:21:53,580 When we give good things or give things to others, 398 00:21:53,580 --> 00:21:54,620 we like to be thanked. 399 00:21:56,900 --> 00:22:01,140 2 Corinthians 9, 6 through 11 has a few more things 400 00:22:01,140 --> 00:22:05,140 that we'll say to us this morning, so let's continue. 401 00:22:05,140 --> 00:22:08,140 Let's look at our third point, which is the generous person. 402 00:22:08,140 --> 00:22:11,700 Verse eight, and God is able to make every grace overflow 403 00:22:11,700 --> 00:22:14,500 to you, so that in every way, 404 00:22:14,500 --> 00:22:16,900 always having everything in need, 405 00:22:16,900 --> 00:22:20,100 you may excel in every good work. 406 00:22:20,100 --> 00:22:23,100 As it is written, he distributed freely, 407 00:22:23,100 --> 00:22:28,100 he gave to the poor, his righteousness endures forever. 408 00:22:29,100 --> 00:22:31,220 Now the one who provides seed for the sower 409 00:22:31,220 --> 00:22:34,780 and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed 410 00:22:34,780 --> 00:22:38,620 and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 411 00:22:40,820 --> 00:22:43,820 A couple of things we find out about the generous person. 412 00:22:43,820 --> 00:22:46,340 First, we're told that God is able to make 413 00:22:46,340 --> 00:22:49,820 every grace overflow to you who are generous. 414 00:22:49,820 --> 00:22:50,660 Why? 415 00:22:50,660 --> 00:22:54,940 So that in every way, always having everything you need, 416 00:22:54,940 --> 00:22:58,460 God can make sure that you have exactly 417 00:22:58,460 --> 00:23:00,740 what you need always. 418 00:23:00,740 --> 00:23:01,580 Why? 419 00:23:01,580 --> 00:23:03,980 Because God is able to make everything 420 00:23:03,980 --> 00:23:06,180 that you need to be able to do. 421 00:23:06,180 --> 00:23:07,020 Why? 422 00:23:07,020 --> 00:23:10,100 So that you may excel in every good work. 423 00:23:10,100 --> 00:23:12,620 Why does he give? 424 00:23:12,620 --> 00:23:17,620 So that you may excel in every good work. 425 00:23:18,100 --> 00:23:23,100 God gives so that his people abound in good works. 426 00:23:23,940 --> 00:23:26,020 That's why God gives to us. 427 00:23:27,100 --> 00:23:28,620 That's the reason he gives. 428 00:23:28,620 --> 00:23:32,140 He gives that we might abound in good works. 429 00:23:32,140 --> 00:23:37,140 And then Paul quotes from a Psalm, Psalm 112, verse nine, 430 00:23:37,420 --> 00:23:40,380 when he says, as it is written in verse nine. 431 00:23:41,940 --> 00:23:45,820 And some have taken this quote to be talking about God 432 00:23:45,820 --> 00:23:49,340 when it says that he distributed freely, 433 00:23:49,340 --> 00:23:52,820 he gave to the poor, his righteousness endures forever. 434 00:23:55,260 --> 00:23:58,940 But if you read the Psalm that he's quoting, Psalm 112, nine, 435 00:23:58,940 --> 00:24:02,580 you'll see that the Psalm 112, nine is actually describing 436 00:24:02,580 --> 00:24:04,180 the traits of a righteous person. 437 00:24:05,820 --> 00:24:08,740 One of those traits is his generosity. 438 00:24:10,220 --> 00:24:12,100 And his generosity is unparalleled. 439 00:24:12,100 --> 00:24:16,020 He distributes freely in an unrestricted manner. 440 00:24:19,260 --> 00:24:21,860 The Psalm actually begins with a macarism. 441 00:24:21,860 --> 00:24:23,580 Blessed is the man. 442 00:24:23,580 --> 00:24:26,380 Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, 443 00:24:26,380 --> 00:24:29,460 who takes delight in his commands. 444 00:24:30,540 --> 00:24:33,580 And so we're told a God-fearing person 445 00:24:33,580 --> 00:24:35,700 is given so that they might give more. 446 00:24:35,700 --> 00:24:38,540 Why would a God-fearing person be given from God 447 00:24:38,540 --> 00:24:39,620 so that they might give more? 448 00:24:39,620 --> 00:24:43,300 Well, we're told that God will multiply their resources 449 00:24:43,300 --> 00:24:46,060 as they righteously use them, 450 00:24:46,060 --> 00:24:49,060 and God will multiply the effects of their gifts. 451 00:24:50,620 --> 00:24:53,620 God can trust a righteous person 452 00:24:53,620 --> 00:24:57,260 to freely distribute his gifts 453 00:24:57,260 --> 00:25:01,780 and not hoard or be stingy or thriftily with it. 454 00:25:02,860 --> 00:25:06,100 For he's giving that we might abound in good works. 455 00:25:06,100 --> 00:25:07,340 That's why he's giving. 456 00:25:11,540 --> 00:25:12,860 But what's this seed? 457 00:25:14,020 --> 00:25:15,900 What's the seed that we are given? 458 00:25:15,900 --> 00:25:20,900 It's our good works, specifically cheerful giving. 459 00:25:20,900 --> 00:25:23,100 And what is the harvest? 460 00:25:23,100 --> 00:25:25,260 I think this is where a lot of prosperity teachers 461 00:25:25,260 --> 00:25:26,740 and preachers get it wrong. 462 00:25:29,260 --> 00:25:32,260 They say, give $5 and the Lord will give you $10 back 463 00:25:32,260 --> 00:25:33,820 that you can stuff in your bank account 464 00:25:33,820 --> 00:25:35,140 and go spend on yourself. 465 00:25:39,980 --> 00:25:42,500 The really aggressive ones say, give $5 and the Lord will give 466 00:25:42,500 --> 00:25:43,340 you $10 back. 467 00:25:43,340 --> 00:25:46,060 The really aggressive ones say, give $5 and you'll get 468 00:25:46,060 --> 00:25:48,140 $100 back and you can go spend that on yourself 469 00:25:48,140 --> 00:25:51,220 and get yourself a boat or something, small boat. 470 00:25:54,500 --> 00:25:58,340 No, the harvest, the harvest that is being produced 471 00:25:59,220 --> 00:26:01,220 is in the recipient of the gift. 472 00:26:02,900 --> 00:26:06,460 The harvest that's being produced from our giving 473 00:26:06,460 --> 00:26:08,620 is in the recipient, not in us. 474 00:26:08,620 --> 00:26:11,940 The harvest that's being produced is as the gift is given 475 00:26:11,940 --> 00:26:15,460 to the person, thanksgiving comes out of them to God. 476 00:26:17,060 --> 00:26:19,460 And the more we give, the more thanks go to God. 477 00:26:21,500 --> 00:26:23,820 The harvest is an I give to you and I'm waiting 478 00:26:23,820 --> 00:26:27,300 for my $10 to come back to me, bring it on. 479 00:26:28,980 --> 00:26:32,980 The righteous person gives and distributes freely 480 00:26:32,980 --> 00:26:34,380 because they know where the source is, 481 00:26:34,380 --> 00:26:36,580 where they got everything from in the first place. 482 00:26:36,580 --> 00:26:41,020 And he's not stingy, he's not withholding, 483 00:26:41,020 --> 00:26:42,300 he's not thrifty. 484 00:26:43,780 --> 00:26:45,580 Sorry for looking at you, Nick, right there. 485 00:26:45,580 --> 00:26:50,940 Sorry, you guys know Nick, he's a very thrifty 486 00:26:50,940 --> 00:26:51,780 and wise man. 487 00:26:57,780 --> 00:26:59,820 The harvest produced is in the recipient of the gift, 488 00:26:59,820 --> 00:27:01,940 thanksgiving and praise to God. 489 00:27:01,940 --> 00:27:04,460 They become more trusting in his unfailing love 490 00:27:04,460 --> 00:27:06,220 as they receive, they go, oh my gosh, 491 00:27:06,220 --> 00:27:08,180 this God has provided for me. 492 00:27:09,860 --> 00:27:12,220 They overflow in thanks and praise 493 00:27:12,220 --> 00:27:17,220 and maybe they become a righteous person who then gives. 494 00:27:22,100 --> 00:27:25,100 It produces something in the recipient of the gift. 495 00:27:25,100 --> 00:27:27,900 But it also produces something between us. 496 00:27:27,900 --> 00:27:30,860 It produces something in the recipient of the gift. 497 00:27:30,860 --> 00:27:33,860 It produces something between the recipient and the giver. 498 00:27:35,180 --> 00:27:37,980 And that's what Paul's getting at here too. 499 00:27:37,980 --> 00:27:40,900 In addition to what it produces in the recipient, 500 00:27:40,900 --> 00:27:43,500 which ultimately produces praise and honor to God, 501 00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:45,460 it also produces something between the recipient 502 00:27:45,460 --> 00:27:46,860 and the giver. 503 00:27:46,860 --> 00:27:48,700 And that's unity in love. 504 00:27:50,300 --> 00:27:54,580 They go, oh my gosh, we're together. 505 00:27:54,580 --> 00:27:56,020 There's a oneness. 506 00:27:57,860 --> 00:28:00,620 We're in this boat together, we're caring for one another, 507 00:28:00,620 --> 00:28:01,900 we're serving one another, 508 00:28:01,900 --> 00:28:04,740 we're loving and giving to one another. 509 00:28:09,980 --> 00:28:12,420 If that's what giving is all about, 510 00:28:12,420 --> 00:28:15,740 then multiplying those things, as the scripture says, 511 00:28:15,740 --> 00:28:18,340 then God will have no problem giving you more 512 00:28:18,340 --> 00:28:20,420 because the result will always be the multiplying 513 00:28:20,420 --> 00:28:23,860 of the righteous works that he has prepared for you to do. 514 00:28:23,860 --> 00:28:24,900 And the more he gives, 515 00:28:24,900 --> 00:28:27,980 the more his glory increases on the earth. 516 00:28:27,980 --> 00:28:30,900 And the generous person will see God 517 00:28:30,900 --> 00:28:32,820 provides everything they need 518 00:28:32,820 --> 00:28:36,380 in order that they may multiply their generosity. 519 00:28:36,380 --> 00:28:38,220 The generous person sees that God provides 520 00:28:38,220 --> 00:28:39,460 everything they need 521 00:28:39,460 --> 00:28:42,100 so that they can multiply their generosity. 522 00:28:43,980 --> 00:28:45,300 So we've looked at the act of giving, 523 00:28:45,300 --> 00:28:46,260 which there's two ways. 524 00:28:46,260 --> 00:28:49,580 You can give sparingly or you can give generously. 525 00:28:49,580 --> 00:28:51,340 We looked at the heart of giving. 526 00:28:51,340 --> 00:28:52,540 The motive matters. 527 00:28:52,540 --> 00:28:54,700 God loves a cheerful giver. 528 00:28:56,140 --> 00:28:57,740 And we looked at the generous person 529 00:28:57,740 --> 00:28:59,980 and what comes of them, 530 00:28:59,980 --> 00:29:02,820 how God gives to them and what comes out of them 531 00:29:02,820 --> 00:29:04,020 and ultimately back to God. 532 00:29:04,020 --> 00:29:07,700 So lastly, we will consider number four, the generous God. 533 00:29:10,500 --> 00:29:13,660 A little bit below our scripture that we read today 534 00:29:13,660 --> 00:29:16,060 is verse 13 in chapter nine. 535 00:29:16,060 --> 00:29:17,420 Listen to what it says. 536 00:29:18,860 --> 00:29:21,220 Because, this is great, 537 00:29:22,180 --> 00:29:25,980 because of the proof provided by this ministry, 538 00:29:25,980 --> 00:29:28,740 the recipients will glorify God 539 00:29:28,740 --> 00:29:31,660 for your obedient confession 540 00:29:32,820 --> 00:29:34,740 of the gospel of Christ. 541 00:29:36,220 --> 00:29:38,860 They will glorify God because you were obedient, 542 00:29:38,860 --> 00:29:41,980 your confession matched your obedience 543 00:29:43,820 --> 00:29:46,260 to the gospel of Christ. 544 00:29:47,700 --> 00:29:50,100 And for your generosity in sharing with them 545 00:29:50,100 --> 00:29:52,820 and for your kindness in sharing with them. 546 00:29:52,820 --> 00:29:56,300 And for your generosity in sharing with them 547 00:29:56,300 --> 00:29:57,380 and with everyone. 548 00:29:59,300 --> 00:30:03,460 Paul says that the gifts that the Corinthian church 549 00:30:03,460 --> 00:30:07,380 is participating in will act as a kind of proof. 550 00:30:08,580 --> 00:30:11,860 A proof that they are transformed by the power of God. 551 00:30:13,020 --> 00:30:16,420 A proof that they are truly Christ-honoring disciples. 552 00:30:17,620 --> 00:30:19,660 He believes that the gift they provide 553 00:30:19,660 --> 00:30:21,740 will result in glory to God. 554 00:30:21,740 --> 00:30:22,580 Why? 555 00:30:22,580 --> 00:30:24,740 Because of their obedient confession 556 00:30:24,740 --> 00:30:26,860 of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 557 00:30:26,860 --> 00:30:29,300 Their gift is an obedient confession 558 00:30:29,300 --> 00:30:30,420 of the gospel of Jesus. 559 00:30:30,420 --> 00:30:32,620 Well, how is that gift an obedient confession 560 00:30:32,620 --> 00:30:34,860 of the gospel of Jesus Christ? 561 00:30:34,860 --> 00:30:36,380 Well, do you remember in the introduction 562 00:30:36,380 --> 00:30:39,780 when I read from chapter eight, these words? 563 00:30:39,780 --> 00:30:43,580 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 564 00:30:43,580 --> 00:30:47,940 Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, 565 00:30:47,940 --> 00:30:52,940 so that by his poverty you might become rich. 566 00:30:55,540 --> 00:30:59,500 Generous giving is at the very heart 567 00:30:59,500 --> 00:31:02,700 of who our saving God revealed in Christ is. 568 00:31:04,940 --> 00:31:06,780 And it's at the heart of what Christ did 569 00:31:06,780 --> 00:31:08,180 for sinners like you and I. 570 00:31:10,020 --> 00:31:11,380 Think about it. 571 00:31:11,380 --> 00:31:14,700 He became poor for us. 572 00:31:14,700 --> 00:31:18,580 He divested himself of glory and the riches of heaven 573 00:31:18,580 --> 00:31:21,300 in order that he might freely distribute riches 574 00:31:21,300 --> 00:31:26,300 to you and I, wretched, poor, naked, and blind. 575 00:31:29,940 --> 00:31:32,220 Philippians chapter two paints this picture, 576 00:31:32,220 --> 00:31:34,500 you guys are probably familiar with it. 577 00:31:34,500 --> 00:31:39,500 That Jesus, existing in the form of God 578 00:31:40,580 --> 00:31:43,100 did not consider equality with God, 579 00:31:43,100 --> 00:31:45,060 something to be exploited. 580 00:31:45,940 --> 00:31:49,140 But instead, he emptied himself by assuming 581 00:31:49,140 --> 00:31:51,980 the form of a servant and taking on 582 00:31:51,980 --> 00:31:53,940 the very likeness of humanity. 583 00:31:55,260 --> 00:31:58,460 And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself 584 00:31:58,460 --> 00:32:01,500 by becoming obedient to the point of death, 585 00:32:01,500 --> 00:32:04,020 even to death on the cross. 586 00:32:06,060 --> 00:32:07,620 This brings us back to the beginning. 587 00:32:07,620 --> 00:32:11,660 Did Jesus give sparingly or generously? 588 00:32:11,660 --> 00:32:14,660 Did Jesus go to the cross and give his life 589 00:32:14,660 --> 00:32:18,340 from grief or under pressure to perform? 590 00:32:19,340 --> 00:32:21,300 No, in fact, Hebrews 12 says, 591 00:32:21,300 --> 00:32:25,740 for the joy set before him, Christ endured the cross, 592 00:32:25,740 --> 00:32:27,700 scorning its shame. 593 00:32:27,700 --> 00:32:29,020 What was the joy set before him? 594 00:32:29,020 --> 00:32:31,820 The joy set before Christ was not the pain and suffering 595 00:32:31,820 --> 00:32:33,260 and the nails going through his hands 596 00:32:33,260 --> 00:32:37,380 and the spear in his side, that wasn't the joy set before him. 597 00:32:37,380 --> 00:32:39,220 What was the joy set before him? 598 00:32:39,220 --> 00:32:41,820 What was the joy set before Jesus? 599 00:32:43,300 --> 00:32:44,140 Us. 600 00:32:46,060 --> 00:32:48,340 In his heart and in mind, he saw everyone 601 00:32:48,340 --> 00:32:50,500 who would put their hope and faith in him 602 00:32:50,500 --> 00:32:54,580 and said, I will go, I will give it all for the joy 603 00:32:54,580 --> 00:32:58,900 it is to welcome in sons and daughters into my family. 604 00:32:59,940 --> 00:33:02,900 I will go and I will give it all. 605 00:33:04,140 --> 00:33:07,700 Become poor, submit myself to a beating, 606 00:33:07,700 --> 00:33:11,380 submit myself to crucifixion, submit myself to death. 607 00:33:14,100 --> 00:33:16,420 What does Philippians 2 say next? 608 00:33:18,220 --> 00:33:22,180 Therefore, God held up his end of the bargain. 609 00:33:23,220 --> 00:33:27,740 God exalted him to the highest place, gave him the name. 610 00:33:27,740 --> 00:33:30,140 You're gonna do that for my glory? 611 00:33:30,980 --> 00:33:32,980 You're going to empty yourself and give all 612 00:33:32,980 --> 00:33:35,180 to the point even of death? 613 00:33:35,180 --> 00:33:40,180 Oh, I've got no problem giving life back to your body, 614 00:33:40,700 --> 00:33:43,540 resurrecting you, making you the name 615 00:33:43,540 --> 00:33:44,740 that is above every other name. 616 00:33:44,740 --> 00:33:48,340 Now, obviously, Jesus is a little different than you and I. 617 00:33:48,340 --> 00:33:50,260 He gets to be the name above all names forever 618 00:33:50,260 --> 00:33:52,500 because what he did, you and I could never do. 619 00:33:54,620 --> 00:33:56,780 But he went there first. 620 00:33:56,780 --> 00:34:00,140 He endured the excruciating painful death for the joy 621 00:34:00,140 --> 00:34:03,500 that was you and I being welcomed as sons and daughters 622 00:34:03,500 --> 00:34:08,180 to glory, we are the harvest of righteousness for Christ. 623 00:34:08,180 --> 00:34:10,820 And yes, Psalm 112 was talking about the righteous man, 624 00:34:10,820 --> 00:34:13,420 but there was no one more righteous than Christ. 625 00:34:13,420 --> 00:34:15,940 As Psalm talks about him for sure. 626 00:34:17,740 --> 00:34:21,020 And Jesus said, I lay down my own life, right? 627 00:34:21,020 --> 00:34:23,260 No one takes it from me, not under pressure, 628 00:34:23,260 --> 00:34:25,540 not under compulsion, not from grief. 629 00:34:25,540 --> 00:34:28,020 I'm not laying it down because someone's forcing me. 630 00:34:28,020 --> 00:34:29,220 I lay down my own life. 631 00:34:29,220 --> 00:34:31,500 I lay it down on my own initiative. 632 00:34:31,500 --> 00:34:34,660 It's a cheerful giver for God's glory. 633 00:34:35,980 --> 00:34:39,740 In every way, Jesus gave generously to save you and I. 634 00:34:43,220 --> 00:34:48,220 Our genuineness of our gospel confession, 635 00:34:50,020 --> 00:34:55,020 our following Christ is reflected in our generosity. 636 00:34:55,020 --> 00:34:58,340 To the degree we are becoming generous 637 00:34:58,340 --> 00:35:01,340 is to the degree we have believed and are transformed 638 00:35:01,340 --> 00:35:03,260 by the gospel of Jesus Christ. 639 00:35:06,940 --> 00:35:09,740 So have we been transformed by his gift of grace? 640 00:35:11,060 --> 00:35:15,180 How does our giving measure up next to his giving? 641 00:35:18,900 --> 00:35:19,980 There's a passage that says, 642 00:35:19,980 --> 00:35:22,980 we are the harvest of righteousness for Christ. 643 00:35:22,980 --> 00:35:27,980 There's a passage that says we can never exceed our master. 644 00:35:29,500 --> 00:35:31,380 But what does a disciple hope to be? 645 00:35:33,300 --> 00:35:37,460 Bible says a disciple hopes to be like his master. 646 00:35:38,300 --> 00:35:41,340 Never exceed him, never do him better. 647 00:35:42,460 --> 00:35:43,660 But could we be like him? 648 00:35:48,740 --> 00:35:51,700 Does our generosity overflow through our lives 649 00:35:51,700 --> 00:35:53,100 in the way that we give? 650 00:35:55,820 --> 00:35:58,020 We are called to bring the gospel to life 651 00:35:58,020 --> 00:36:22,380 even in our giving.