CROSS POINTE DULUTH BE MORE BE MORE GENEROUS MARCH 16, 2014

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1 CROSS POINTE DULUTH BE MORE BE MORE GENEROUS MARCH 16, 2014 SUNDAY RECAP We believe it is more generous to give than to receive, and that every partner with our campuses should practice biblical stewardship with their finances, time, and talents. Generosity leverages resources for the glory of God in expanding His kingdom, and for the good of others. THE KEY TAKEAWAY True living is found in generous giving. All that we truly have is what we give to God and others. GETTING STARTED As your group time begins, use this section to introduce the topic of discussion. What is the most generous gift you have ever received? How did it make you feel? Americans are some of the wealthiest people in the world, but do you think Americans are generous with their wealth? Why or why not? What excuses do people sometimes make for not being more generous with their resources (time, money, and energy) toward others? What excuses have you made? If we hope to live generously toward others and honor God through our giving, then our thinking about what God can do with our meager resources needs to shift. True living is found in generous giving. All that we truly have is what we give to God and others. GOING DEEPER Unpack the biblical text to discover what the Scripture says or means about a particular topic. In his second letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul writes about organizing a collection among Gentile churches to help impoverished believers in the Jerusalem church. They had begun with great enthusiasm but then apparently faltered. Rather than scolding or demanding, Paul helped them see the benefits they would experience from their generous contributions. > HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ 2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-7. Paul introduced the idea of generous, cheerful giving using an agricultural principle: a farmer reaps in proportion to what he sows (v. 6). A wise farmer sows generously in order to reap a generous harvest. Verses 8-15 explain how this principle relates to our giving. But first, in verse 7, Paul described the attitude we will have toward giving when we realize what our giving can do. 1 BE MORE CROSS POINTE DULUTH

2 What attitude does the Lord desire in the hearts of those who give? What might keep us from sowing generously in our giving? Giving will be neither generous nor cheerful if we are anxious about meeting our own needs. It would be logical to conclude that the more we give, the less we will have and the more likely we could become dependent on the giving of others. What words in verse 7 describe attitudes God will not honor? Reluctantly is literally from sorrow. This word describes the person who grieves the loss of what was given rather than rejoicing over the ministry it renders. Out of necessity describes a person who gives, but only when pressured to do so. Unwilling or coerced giving does not reflect the grace of God. What does it take to be a cheerful giver? Have you ever experienced your giving bringing you great joy? How can believers today practice cheerful giving of their money, time, and talents? How would you answer someone who asked, Why must I give cheerfully? Isn t it enough that I give something? If the need gets met, why does my attitude matter? God loves a cheerful giver because He is a cheerful Giver. Each gift of God to humanity expresses His cheerful grace, for not one of His gifts is deserved. Paul s appeal to the Corinthians to help poor believers in another land was an opportunity for them to learn firsthand the delight that accompanies the grace of giving. > HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ 2 CORINTHIANS 9:8-15. Paul assured the Corinthians that God is capable of meeting their needs as they followed His leadership in meeting the needs of others. When God s people gladly render the service of meeting one another s needs, the result is thanksgiving to God. Those receiving gifts from other believers recognize His hand at work and thank Him. How has God cause His grace to overflow to you when you have opened your heart in generosity? How does our faithful giving bring thanksgiving and glory to God? Without sharing details, when have you personally experienced this as one giving or receiving a gracious gift? 2 BE MORE CROSS POINTE DULUTH

3 In verse 9, Paul quoted Psalm 112:9. This psalm describes a man who was rewarded because he feared God and gave generously to the poor. The same Lord will provide for our needs and multiply our resources to increase the harvest of righteousness. What do you think it means that the Lord will increase the harvest of righteousness (v. 10) in response to our generosity? In verse 15, Paul gave thanks to God for His indescribable gift. What gift do you think he had in mind? How should God s gift motivate us to greater generosity in our own giving? The Corinthians generous gifts to the needy saints would cause them to glorify God. They would praise God not only for meeting their needs, but also for the obedience of God s people who gave generously to supply what they needed. By sharing financially with others (v. 13) we declare our fellowship with others who, like us, share God s gracious gift of faith in Christ. MAKING IT PERSONAL Help your group identify how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives. True living is found in generous giving. All that we truly have is what we give to God and others. People see God for who He is in and through their giving. They see that God is generous and caring. They see that God meets people s needs. To let others see God for who He is in our attitudes and actions should be the aim of all Christians. What habits or practices would help you be more intentional in giving faithfully to the ministries here at Cross Pointe? What would it look like if you were a cheerful giver, funding essential ministries and meeting real needs? Which of your current expenses would you be willing to give up? If you find generous giving causes anxiety and second thoughts, what can you do to retrain yourself and refocus on God s grace? What would it look like if your primary motivation for giving were the thanks God would receive? How much would you be willing to give if God received all the glory? 3 BE MORE CROSS POINTE DULUTH

4 PRAY Using the above questions as a guide, pray for specific situations that people in your group are likely to face this week. Pray that God would continually remind us that He expects us to be more generous. Ask for God s help as we seek to exercise discipline in our stewardship, giving cheerfully as God has blessed us. Pray that our faithful stewardship will ultimately glorify God and bring others into His kingdom. 4 BE MORE CROSS POINTE DULUTH

5 COMMENTARY 2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-15 9:6. Paul continued to indicate how Christian giving is to be done. Believers are to give generously and cheerfully. Verse 6 opens with the words remember this (literally, now this ), a way of stressing the importance of what follows. Giving will be neither generous nor cheerful if givers are anxious about meeting their own needs. Some Corinthian Christians may have reasoned that the more they gave, the less they would have and the more likely they themselves would become dependent on the giving of others. Paul seems to have addressed this possibility. Using an agricultural principle, Paul explained how the grace of giving operates in the lives of those who trust in God. A farmer reaps in proportion to what he sows. A wise farmer sows generously in order to reap generously. What is true in agriculture is also true in Christian giving. To rightly understand what Paul meant, we must read verse 6 along with the remainder of chapter 9. He was not advocating that we give so we can get rich. On the contrary, when one s giving is an expression of God s grace, God will provide more to the giver, who then will be able to give even more. 9:7. Generous giving is not to be done haphazardly but purposefully. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart. The word decided indicates a choice and could be translated purposed. Again, Paul made clear he was not trying to compel the Corinthians to give. Individuals are responsible to God for their giving. Not all giving is done as an expression of God s grace or for God s glory. Simply giving to a worthy cause does not qualify. The giving must be done with the proper attitude. The Lord is not pleased even if one chooses to give a large donation but does so reluctantly or out of necessity. Reluctantly is literally from sorrow. The word describes a person who grieves the loss of what was given rather than rejoicing over the ministry it renders. Out of necessity describes a person who gives, but only when pressured to do so. Unwilling or coerced giving is not Christian giving and does not please God. God loves a cheerful giver. Why? Because God is a cheerful giver. Cheerful translates a word that basically means merry and is used to indicate the idea of willingness. Each one of God s gifts to humankind expresses His cheerful grace, for not one of His gifts is deserved. He gives to bless us materially and spiritually because He loves us and wants to give His blessings to us. The grace of giving is actually one of God s gifts to His people. He not only meets needs through us but also blesses us with spiritual growth and insight that comes when we give cheerfully. Paul s appeal to the Corinthians to help poor believers in another land was actually an opportunity to learn firsthand the delight that accompanies the grace of giving. Some have deprived themselves of this grace and joy by twisting the intent of this verse, excusing their unwillingness by saying that God would not want them to give because they could not do so cheerfully. 9:8. Let us never forget that having a personal relationship with God through Christ is the key to Christian giving. God alone is able to make every grace overflow to you. Every grace includes His spiritual and material gifts. The idea in overflow is far more than enough. God provides more than the bare necessities to generous givers in order to enable them to excel in every good work. God blesses generous believers so they can give even more generously. God is not a miser. If He were, the Corinthians should have prudently hoarded all of their resources and given nothing away. Our God is, however, a generous provider. Paul reminded the Corinthians that God is capable of meeting their needs as they followed His leadership in meeting the needs of others. The world s approach is to accumulate material wealth to ensure a pleasant life of ease. That is not God s approach. He intends that we use material blessings unselfishly to minister to others. 9:9-12. Paul illustrated his point by quoting from Psalm 112:9. This psalm describes a man who feared God and was righteous. He planted widely and gave generously to poor people. Paul stressed that God is the One who provides an increase in the harvest so there is adequate grain to supply not only bread to live on but also seed for the next year s sowing. Paul reminded the Corinthians that the same Lord would provide for their needs and also would multiply their resources so they would increase the harvest of righteousness. 5 BE MORE CROSS POINTE DULUTH

6 Enriched in every way for all generosity clearly and pointedly shows what God expects of His people who have more than they need to survive. The Lord provides for His people through the generosity of His people. When we gladly render the service of meeting one another s needs, the result is thanksgiving to God. Those receiving gifts from other believers recognize His hand at work and thank Him. The word translated service in verse 12, however, is used both for benevolent service and priestly service (such as offering sacrifices). In the latter sense, the idea is that the giving itself is an offering of thanksgiving to God. Paul likely had both meanings in mind. 9:13. Through the proof provided by this service is explained in the rest of this verse. The Macedonians had proved themselves to be genuine believers by giving despite their affliction and poverty. The Corinthians would prove the genuineness of their faith in Christ by giving out of their abundance. Sometimes the latter is more difficult than the former, for prosperity has a way of stimulating greed. Generously gifts to the needy saints would cause them to glorify or praise God. We would expect them to praise God for the Corinthians generosity. However, they first would praise God for what the generosity signified, namely, obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ. Generous Christian givers live out their confession that Jesus Christ is Lord. People see God for who He is in and through their giving. They see that God is generous and caring. They see that God meets people s needs. To let others see God for who He is in our attitudes and actions should be the aim of all Christians. The word translated sharing is the Greek word koinonia. It often is translated as fellowship, and it carries the idea of partnership. As the Corinthians offered their gifts, they signified both their fellowship and partnership with brothers and sisters in Christ in a foreign land. 9:14. Paul knew that a generous gift from the Corinthians to the suffering believers in Jerusalem would have another far-reaching benefit it would help unite the church. The relationships between Gentile and Jewish Christians were marred by mutual bias in Paul s day. Because of the generosity of the Gentile believers in Corinth, the Jewish believers in Jerusalem would pray for and long to see their fellow believers from Corinth. As the Gentile churches gave to the Jewish church in Jerusalem, barriers would be lowered and hopefully destroyed. 9:15. Paul concluded his exhortation to the church with a doxology Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift. What is the indescribable gift to which Paul referred? That gift most likely is described in 8:9, our Lord Jesus Christ. Without the ultimate gift of God s grace, Jesus Christ, salvation would be impossible. Words are inadequate to describe that gift. Was Paul s appeal to the Corinthians successful? Romans 15:26-27 indicates that it was. God indeed was glorified because believers practiced the grace of giving. Let us glorify God through how we give! 6 BE MORE CROSS POINTE DULUTH