Want to continue talking about contentment Let's
read 2nd Corinthians 9 8 and God is able to make
all grace abound toward you that you Always having
all sufficiency and all things may abound to
every good work That word sufficiency is the
same word that we translate into contentment
in first Timothy 6 6 which says godliness Godliness
with contentment is great gain Paul is writing
the church and Corinth saying God uses abundant
grace to give us contentment Sufficiency enough
in all things that we may abound in every good
work We will have enough to do the good work
by the empowerment of God Because we all know
I love context. Let's go back to the beginning
of the chapter Verse 1, For as touching the ministering
to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write
to you. Superfluous. Love that word and wish
I remembered to use it in real life. Here it
means excessive. Paul is saying when we talk
about meeting the needs of the saints, it would
be over the top, it would be excessive for me
to write to you about this because, verse two
says, I know the forwardness of your mind, for
which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that
a KI was ready a year ago and your zeal hath
provoked very many. So what he's saying is, I
know your predisposition to give. I know you
were ready to give last year, and I told the
church in Macedonia about that, and it inspired
them to give as well. Yet have I sent the brethren,
lest our boasting of you should be in vain in
this behalf, that as I said, you may be ready.
Lest happily, if they of Macedonia come with
me, and find you unprepared, We, that we say
not ye, should be ashamed in this same confident
boasting. So, Paul is just saying, I know you
said you were going to give. I know you're ready
to give, but I really am coming for it. Don't
make me ashamed of what I said of you. He's not
trying to put shame on them, right? He says,
I'm not saying you would be ashamed. I would
be ashamed, we would be ashamed, right? He's
using this inclusive language because he knows
where their heart is at and he just wants to
make sure they're not caught flatfooted. Therefore,
verse five, I thought it necessary to exhort
the brethren that they would go before unto you
and make up beforehand your bounty whereof you
have noticed. Before that the same might be ready
as a matter of bounty and not as of covetousness
So motivation matters Paul is reminding the church
about their commitment But he wants them to give
out a bounty out of abundance Think about that
versus taking because you want what someone has.
The NLT says a willing gift, not grudging. If
you are not content, you will never have enough
left to give. If you're not at a place of sufficiency,
you will never have enough to spare. You might
have good intentions. A lot of us say, well when
I, I will give. When this happens, I will give.
However, if you're looking around and you're
bounty at your bounty You can always find something
to give I was talked to I was talking to someone
about giving and being generous and they said
oh I give a lot. I always send my stuff to goodwill
They were completely serious But they were giving
out of their lack They had to buy new clothes
and shoes or a chair, and to make room for that,
they had to get rid of something. The goodwill
donation was made because of a lack of space,
not out of an abundance of blessing. Not to belabor
the point, but I was talking to a friend of mine,
and her friend had a house fire. The lady who
had a house fire said there was a ton of donations,
but it was all clothing and furniture no one
wanted anymore. Now this is pertinent to our
conversation because Paul is specifically talking
about alleviating physical needs of saints in
another location when we give To we say I'm giving
my best because I have enough or Are we giving
our cast -offs because we can't afford to spare
any of our resources? Verse six But this I say,
he which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly.
And he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also
bountifully. Proverbs 19, 17 says, he that hath
pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord. And
that which he hath given, will he pay him again.
So when you lend to the poor, you're lending
to God, and he will always repay. And so when
we're giving, we don't want to give sparingly.
We want to give, we want to sow a lot of seed
because we want a lot of crop. This is something
my mother would remind me of as she gave people
money as I was growing up, and I'm thankful for
this example. I remember her giving $100 to a
neighbor lady who needed some cash, and she quoted
this verse, and she said, I never expect this
lady to pay me back. I'm giving it to the Lord.
He will give it back when I need it. I believe
the lady did pay her back, but it really didn't
matter. My mom was sewing bountifully. Verse
seven says every man according as he has purpose
in his heart So let him give not grudgingly or
of necessity for God loveth a cheerful giver
Let every man think about what he should give
Pray about what he's gonna give And once they've
decided without persuasion or Chris or coercion
They should give without sadness or obligation
or because that's what's expected It should bring
us joy now remember this church had already made
a commitment But it was a long time ago It was
a year ago and right there attitude could have
changed changed and Paul saying do not give Because
you are being persuaded because you are being
being coerced, give because it brings you joy.
Giving should bring us joy. If giving doesn't
bring us joy, that is an indicator of spiritual
illness. Have you ever looked at your favorite
treat when you're sick and it makes you ill just
looking at it? Same thing, when you come across
a need, when you are asked to give, And it brings
out a bad attitude, you need to check your spiritual
temperature. Verse 8. And God is able to make
all grace abound toward you, that you always
having all sufficiency in all things may abound
in every good work. Here's why you have more
than what you need. It is so you can do good
work. Ephesians 2 10 says we are created unto
good works. God blesses us not to get more stuff
and go on vacation, but to do good. Of course
we can have nice things and go on vacation but
very few of us cap our spending Say this is enough
for me and I am going to do good with the rest
we are not very mindful of our resources as it
relates to giving as a whole Verse 9 says as
it is written he hath dispersed abroad he hath
given to the poor his righteousness Remaineth
forever so he's quoting here from Psalms 112
9 which says he hath dispersed He has given to
the poor his righteousness endures forever his
horn shall be exalted with honor and so Paul
is making an appeal to the Old Testament He is
appealing to scripture that they would have read
And he's saying this is a principle. We already
know When you give to the poor when you give
to places that are not gonna benefit you where
you get no immediate Feedback or immediate benefit
your righteousness is gonna remain forever He
continues in verse 10. Now he that ministereth
seed to the sower or gives the seed to the sower
both ministers bread for your food and multiplies
your seed sown and increases the fruits of your
righteousness. Let me read it in NLT. It's a
little bit easier. For God is the one who provides
seed for the farmer and the bread to eat. In
the same way, he will provide and increase your
resources and then produce a great harvest of
generosity in you. So what is the source of our
prosperity? We often think of terms of, I worked
hard for my money so I deserve. Or if I work
harder, I will be able to afford. The center
of that thinking is south What if we thought
of our paycheck as from the Lord our? Investments
as from the Lord our extra vegetables in the
garden as from the Lord Psalms 1124 says give
freely and become more wealthy be stingy and
lose everything the generous will prosper Those
who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
People curse those who hoard their grain, but
they bless the one who sells in time of need.
Second Corinthians continues in verse 11, being
enriched in everything to all bountifulness,
which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
For the administration of this service not only
supplyeth the want of the saints, but is abundant
also by many thanksgivings unto God. Let's read
it in the NLT again. Yes, you will be enriched
in every way so that you can always be generous
and when we take your gifts to those who need
them They will thank God so two good things will
result from this ministry of giving The needs
of the believers in Jerusalem will be met and
they will joyfully express their thanks to God
Wow This all stems from contentment People's
needs will be met and God will be given thanks
if our lives Bring glory to God by being generous
by giving to people's needs What a great thing
to do We have increased goods. We have increased
blessings and we have it for the purpose of blessing
others Which produces Thanksgiving to God? Think
about a fellow believer's response when you supply
a need. If you bring groceries to somebody, you
prepare their car, you mow their grass, and they
say, praise God. Oh, thank you Jesus, right?
Your good works gives God praise, and it causes
this gift to God. Verse 13 says as a result of
your ministry They will give glory to god for
your generosity to them and to all believers
will provide you Prove will prove that you are
obedient to the good news of christ And they
will pray for you with deep affection because
of the overflowing grace god has given you I
love verse 14 And they will pray for you with
deep affection Isn't that true? I know for me
when someone shows a kindness to me I feel so
loved and I love them in return. I'm more prayerful
about their needs Sometimes we are never noticed
except because of her kindness For me, I'm not
beautiful or rich enough for anyone to pay any
mind to me But if I'm kind and generous, I will
be remembered and the root of it all Overflowing
grace grace that is so great in you it is passed
on Gifts, we don't deserve passed on to the next
person and grace reaches the next person Thank
God for this gift too wonderful for words. That's
what nlt says in verse 15 Thanks be to God for
this process. It's an amazing thing. It's an
amazing gift It builds unity and trust within
the body it allows us to serve more effectively
and is the most joyful and fulfilling thing that
we can do