The Needs of God's People

Introduction

We’re living at a time when many people in this country have never had it so good financially. That was the verdict of ‘The Economist’ magazine this week. Yet charitable giving is not increasing. According to the latest figures two-thirds of the UK population donate up to £5 in a typical month. Under 5% of the population, largely represented by the very affluent but also by Christians, give over £50 a month, accounting for over half of the total amount donated, which is £7bn. Overall the charitable giving per head of population is £120 per year or 0.3% of the average salary in the UK. Generous giving is certainly not the norm.

Corinth was similar. It was a wealthy, decadent and selfish city and its values were in danger of infecting the church. Here in 2 Corinthians 8 & 9 Paul is encouraging the church to give generously to the needs of God’s people in Jerusalem, where the church was suffering persecution and a severe famine. Now one major mark of the spiritual health of a church is generous giving. As someone has said, ‘Our cheque books can have more to do with our Christian discipleship than our hymn books.’ The Corinthian church thought they were very spiritual. Well in terms of their financial giving they were full of good intentions. From 1 Corinthians 16 we know that they had asked to be involved in the collection for Jerusalem. From 2 Corinthians 8:10 we also learn that they had not only been the first to give something but were also the first to have the desire to give to that need. But in the next verse Paul has to say to them, “…finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.” In v24 of chapter 8 he says, “show the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.” Then in v 3 of chapter 9 Paul writes, “I am sending the brothers [to collect your gift] in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.” They had promised to help. They had promised to help generously (2 Corinthians 9:5). But they had yet to put their money where their mouth was.

Now I give thanks to God for his provision for us at JPC through the giving of his people here but is that sometimes true of some of us too? We hear the needs of JPC in the presentation Jonathan’s about to give, we hear the sermons on giving, we read the JPC giving literature that came through the post and we go to the giving review Home Group. And our response is yes I want to give – I can see the need for admin staff, for more ministry to reach and disciple more people - but then we leave it until the end of the tax year, we then can’t find the literature, other costs come along and we fail to increase our giving or start to give in the first place, at least for a time. And then, as we’ll learn later from this passage, you and the church both miss out on the blessings of giving. Instead we are “to show the proof of our love” by filling in the response form generously and cheerfully.

But Paul doesn’t want the Corinthians or us to give unthinkingly. So we’re not to just fill in the response form with the first figure that comes into our head to get the form filled in and another job crossed off the list. We are to give generously and with the right attitude. So we’re not all just to go away tonight and think OK the 2007 faith target is £910,000 – that’s roughly £1000 per person over the age of 18 – so I’ll give £20 a week and stuff it in the box at the exit each week and that’s that taken care of – I’m paying my way. No we’re not to give in an offhand, impulsive and unprepared way, as Paul puts it (2 Cor 9:4), because then we would be giving grudgingly and not generously (v5). Some of us will be able to give less but others of us will be able to give far more than £1000 and if we’re a tax payer then we shouldn’t be stuffing notes in the box anyway but rather gift aiding our giving so that the generosity of the government can also be received and more needs met. So Paul wanted the Corinthians and the brothers he was sending to collect the gift (v5) “to finish the arrangements for the generous gift they had promised.” Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.”

But what motivates us to give generously to supply the needs of God’s people, of the church and of our mission partners? The need motivated the Corinthians when they first heard about it but not for long. And it’s often been said from 1 Chronicles and the giving for the building of the Temple that people don’t give to need on its own but to vision. Certainly many here gave generously to the vision of a church plant in Gateshead, a vision that is now becoming a reality with the contractors now on site. But here in 2 Corinthians 9 Paul reminds us of the supreme motivation for giving and for meeting the needs of God’s people, which brings us to my first heading:

The Motivation for Giving (v15)

Look with me at the last verse of 2 Corinthians 9, verse 15:

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

What gift is the Apostle Paul talking about? The gift of the Lord Jesus Christ who willingly gave himself up to death on a cross so that we, who turned our backs on God and deserve punishment, might live rather than face eternal death in hell. Yes, God loved you and me so much that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). No wonder Paul says: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” And so should we. Perhaps there’s someone here this evening who needs to say thank you for the first time and receive God’s gift. We can’t earn our way to heaven. We can’t buy a place there through giving financially. No the only way is through receiving God’s indescribable gift (John 1:12). And we give financially and in other ways supremely out of gratitude for this gift which is beyond description. As we learn from v8 of 2 Cor 9, it is God’s abounding grace that starts generous giving.

There was a real financial need among the church in Jerusalem. So Paul encourages generous giving. And the need was pressing. But the need wasn’t the main motivation for giving. No the motivation for giving was the Gospel. The motivation for giving is God’s indescribable gift in the person of His Son. Paul’s already said so in the previous chapter - 2 Cor 8:9:

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

As a church, we have financial needs and Jonathan will be talking about those later. But if our giving is simply to balance the budget, then we’re no different from a sports club. Our motivation for giving must be the Gospel. Our motivation for giving must be God’s indescribable gift to us in the Lord Jesus Christ. And our financial giving should be just one small part of our total whole-life response to that gift. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

The Manner of Giving (v6-7)

That’s the motivation for giving then. But how? And how much? Well that brings us to the next main heading. The manner of giving. Look 2 Corinthians 9:6-7:

“6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Now as I’ve already hinted and as we saw last week from 1 Corinthians 16 just because giving is meant to be a thankful response, doesn’t mean it’s a spur of the moment thing. No Godly giving is planned giving. This means if we’re Christians, if we’ve been gripped by that indescribable gift, we need to sit down, pray through our budgets and plan how much we’re going to give.

But Godly giving is also prudent giving. God has been lavish in His gift to us. But God’s not wasteful. He wouldn’t have given His own Son to death if it hadn’t been absolutely necessary for our salvation. God doesn’t waste his gifts. And the biblical principle of good stewardship can be applied to our giving. If you’re a tax payer, then when you give to charity, the tax man adds another 28% to your gift. But it only works if you sign the gift aid form. So if you’re a tax payer, and you don’t gift aid your giving, then you’re wasting 28% of it. So, in a sense, you’re wasting God’s resources. And it’s the same with one-off as well as regular gifts. So if you’re a tax-payer make sure you sign the gift aid declaration. Because Godly giving is prudent giving.

So godly giving is planned and prudent. But maybe you’re asking how much. Well if we were a sports club, then we’d say that we’ve got so many regular members, so to balance the budget that works out at about £20 a week each.

But we’re not a sports club. And the Bible encourages us to be generous. Because Godly giving is generous giving. Look with me again at v6:

“6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”

As a thankful response to the Gospel, we’re called to be generous. So what does generous mean? Well generous is a relative term. To go back to 1 Corinthians 16 whenever we’re paid or receive our pension or allowance of whatever, each of us should set aside a proportion in keeping with our income. So what kind of proportion? Well the OT set God’s people the target of 10%, and Christians have often used this target as a starting point. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus commends tithing. But in the Bible giving doesn’t stop at tithing. Here Paul simply commands us to be generous. Some Christians I know increase their giving by 1% each year as they trust God and learn the blessings of giving. And v6 also begs the question: How big a harvest do we want?

But there’s more. Look on again to 9:7:

“7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Maybe this week you sit down and prayerfully plan your giving, it’s a generous amount, maybe even a sacrificial amount; you’ve signed the gift aid from so you’re a prudent giver. But what if, during the week, your mind starts thinking about all the other things you could have spent the money on. A better car; a better holiday; some more sports kit. It’s not that sport, cars and holidays are necessarily wrong in themselves. But if your giving is half-hearted, if you start to resent your giving, then it won’t be cheerful or joyful. And it you’re not cheerful or joyful about your giving, then no matter how much you give, it still won’t be godly. Because Godly giving is cheerful giving.

And that’s the manner of giving God is looking for. Planned giving; prudent giving; generous giving and joyful giving. So finally

THE RESULTS OF GIVING (v8-14)

The first result is that the giver is blessed. Now we need to be careful here. We don’t give in order to be blessed. Even less do we give in order to get right with God. No our motivation for giving is the God’s indescribable gift. But look with me at v8:

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

And onto v10:

“10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.”

Now we still need to be careful. False teachers twist these verses; peddlers of the prosperity gospel, such as those who had infiltrated the church at Corinth, say that if you give to the church then God will make you financially rich. So if that’s not what it’s saying, what does it mean? Well, v10 is saying that, if you give generously, maybe even to the point where it seriously impacts your budget, God is able to balance your budget. After all, He’s the creator of the universe. Nothing is impossible with God. So blessing your budget is no sweat for God. As v8 puts it, God is able to supply all your needs. Not all your wants, especially those fuelled by our materialistic culture. But God is able to supply all our needs. And he often does it by helping us to limit our expenditure – by helping us to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. So we don’t need to worry that if we give we won’t then have enough to live on. You can’t out give God! God doesn’t promise to make us rich. But he has said he will provide for our needs and bless the godly giver. Usually spiritually bless as our needs are met and our faith is stretched. That’s the first result of giving. The giver is blessed. It really is “more blessed to give than to receive”, as Jesus himself said (Acts 20:35).

And in v12-13, we see the second result of giving. Needs are met, God is praised and genuineness of faith is proved. Look at v12&13:

“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.”

So not only are practical needs met, but the recipients are driven to thank the Lord for His provision. Because that’s how the Lord normally provides for His people. Yes God sometimes performs miracles. But normally the Lord provides for the needs of His people through the giving of His people. Your giving will supply the needs of God’s people here and beyond. When God’s people are in need they pray. And when the Lord’s provides, they say thank you.
But there’s more. What will they say thank you for in v13? It’s not only for the material provision they’ll receive. No, they will also thank God for your faith. Because your generous giving will be a demonstration of the reality of your faith. It will be a demonstration that, when push comes to shove, your faith isn’t some private religious experience that comes and goes. No you’re prepared to put your money where your mouth is. Or in other words, when you say you believe the Gospel, you’re prepared to back it up with hard cash. And so those receiving the cash give thanks, not only for the cash, but for the reality of the Gospel being worked out in the givers’ lives.

But there’s even more. Ministry is multiplied. Look at v14:

“14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.”

What else happens when the poor Christians in Jerusalem receive the money? They not only thank the Lord. They pray for the givers. They get out the Corinthians' prayer letter which came with the gift and start praying for the ministry back in Corinth. What’s the result of giving? Not only are the givers blessed and needs met, but ministry is multiplied. So it could be that, in years to come, people here and in Gateshead give thanks to the Lord for your giving; giving that led to an expansion of the ministry, giving which partly helped them to know Jesus. Ministry which saved them from a lost eternity in hell. Ministry that led to God’s people being blessed and God being glorified.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.