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Generosity

2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15

How has the word of God encouraged you?

In what ways has it redirected your thinking?

Last week

  • Be a regular giver,
  • Be a generous giver,
  • Be deliberate in how you give
  • Think broadly in your giving

Macedonian Christians
 (show picture – center of map).
… as much as they were able and even beyond their ability.
… people who excelled in the grace of giving.

The Achaia Christians
… promised to help in the collection
… BUT they had not really followed through on their promise.

For us today …
Things that should shape our generosity

1. Generosity expected
2 Cor 8:9, “for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might be rich”
Qu: How generous are you with your money as a follower of Jesus?

2. Generosity is not a set amount or a percentage
2 Cor 8:11 … to give according to our means.
2 Cor 8:13 … do not to make yourself hard pressed tomorrow because you gave it all away today.
2 Cor 8:14… give out of their plenty.
Qu: What does it mean for you to be a generous giver?

3. The giving amount is something you decide
2 Cor 9:7 … “according to what they have decided in their own heart”.
The problem of materialism … 2 Cor 9:6 “whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly” and “whoever sows generously will reap generously”.
What is 2 Cor 9:6-11 saying?
“Be richly generous so God can use your rich economic generosity to bring gospel driven kingdom growth and as you are, richly generous, keep trusting God who has provided abundantly and will provide all you need”.
Six examples of how your rich generosity might result in a harvest for the kingdom.

4. Give cheerfully not begrudgingly
2 Cor 9:7 … told not to give reluctantly or under compulsion but cheerfully.

5. Generosity has a particular but not exclusive focus
Galatians 6:9-10
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers”