Day 1,139: 2 Corinthians 8- Grace And Giving

​We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.
 
8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 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 by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
Commendation of Titus
16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. 19 And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. 20 We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, 21 for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. 22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.
 
Meditation
Giving is fruit of a heart rooted in grace. To celebrate grace without giving is artificial and inauthentic, and giving without knowing grace is self-righteous self-promotion.
 
Encouraging the Corinthian church to participate in the collection for the churches, Paul puts the gospel in economic terms: “the grace of our Lord Jesus, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich” (9). God entered into the poverty of our sin to make us rich in love. Jesus became poor that we can know the riches of God’s grace.
 
Paul holds the Macedonian church out as an example, that Christians might “know about the grace in Macedonia” (1), sacrificial generosity growing from grace. Out of their affliction and severe poverty the Macedonians overflowed in generosity (2-3). The grace of God in Christ first drew the Macedonians to God Himself, and then to give themselves to show God’s grace (4-5). Celebrating the gospel, Paul desires other Christians to excel in the act of giving too (6-7).
 
Paul gets practical by highlighting the connection between God’s generosity revealed in Jesus, and His generosity to those who walked by faith in the wilderness generation (10-14). God provides salvation. God provides daily bread.
 
Giving is grounded in grace. Fruitful generosity must be rooted in God’s extravagant love displayed through Jesus giving His life for us.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you about Paul’s celebration of grace, first of God’s grace in Christ (8) and then the grace of the Macedonian church (1)?
 
-Do you see giving as an act of grace, a way to display the glory of God’s grace for His people? Why or why not?
 
-How does seeing and celebrating the gospel (8) catapult you to want to live generously?
 
Key Verse
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 by his poverty might become rich.