Right on the Money By Pastor Dennis Keating Wisdom from the Word Ministries Emmanuel Faith Community Church 639 E. 17th Avenue, Escondido, CA 92025 760-745-2541 www.efcc.org 1
Right on the Money is based on a sermon series at Emmanuel Faith Community Church by Pastor Dennis Keating in 2007. This booklet was first published in 2007, and revised August 2016. The contents of this booklet are the property of Emmanuel Faith Community Church. Copies of this booklet or any portion therein are permitted if proper attribution is given. Emmanuel Faith Community Church Escondido, CA 92025 2
2 A Powerful Example of Financial Generosity 17
Now that you understand the two core principles of godly stewardship, let s look at a biblical example of what we should do. This story is a powerful illustration of financial generosity. Perhaps you think like I do. When asked to do a difficult task, I like to have an example to follow that demonstrates the right way to face and overcome that challenge. If I want to improve my golf swing, I watch a professional player s swing in order to imitate it. The same approach would help those who want to learn cooking or sewing or any number of other tasks. Having a concrete example shows us how to put principles into action. This applies to the spiritual dimensions of life, as well, when learning about the biblical concept of stewardship. The apostle Paul understood the power of a good example. In 2 Corinthians 8, we find three churches in ancient Macedonia presented as powerful examples of financial generosity that Paul hoped the Corinthian Christians would follow. It is my prayer that you ll follow their example, as well. Let s look at the historical background for these issues. The Context for the Example At the time Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthian church, he was living somewhere in ancient Macedonia. This gave him first hand knowledge of what God was doing in the lives of the Macedonian believers and how it affected their generosity. Paul used that knowledge to motivate the Corinthians who had committed themselves to give financial help to the poverty-stricken Jerusalem believers about a year earlier, and then hadn t followed through. Paul exhorted them to complete their commitment by using the Macedonians as an example. From Paul s words, we discover seven insights that impact our giving today. 18
SEVEN INSIGHTS 1. Giving is empowered by God s grace. The Corinthian church was not aware of all the amazing things God was doing in Northern Greece and Macedonia so Paul filled them in. Verse 1 says, Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God, which has been given in the churches of Macedonia. Paul used the word grace as a synonym for their financial gift. That may surprise anyone who considers giving money to the Lord s work as a painful duty to be done by sheer willpower. Sadly, many people force themselves to give, gritting their teeth while they write out a check or peel off bills to put in the offering basket. But God calls it a grace, which communicates that biblical giving always starts with having a right heart about it. God s plan is not to force people to do something they don t want to do. Nor does he expect church leaders to drum it up themselves; instead, God places the desire to give within each of us through the Holy Spirit. Christians who give generously and sacrificially do so because God is at work in their lives, giving them the desire to give. This is why Paul describes their actions in verse 6 as this gracious work. It is grace that inspires us to want to help others more than we desire to add convenience to our own lives. Have you ever prayed a prayer like this? Lord, please pour out your grace into my heart so that I ll want to give money for others. Perhaps that sounds impossible to you, but that s exactly what God s 19
grace empowered the believers in ancient Macedonia to do and they are a great example for us to follow. If you re lacking a desire to give, could it be because your heart isn t fully dedicated to the Lord? Start by asking God to pour His grace into your life. It was so evident in the lives of the people in Macedonia that they gave even when they didn t have much to give. That leads us to our second principle. 2. Giving is for those with few resources. Biblical scholars tell us that almost everyone in the province of Macedonia faced financial hardship because the Romans occupied the land, took over most of the businesses and levied huge taxes on the people. The Christians tended to be some of the poorest because of the additional pressure that came from being persecuted for their faith. (Philippians 1:28-30 and 1 Thessalonians 2:14). Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 8:2, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. What did Paul mean by deep poverty? The word deep literally means down to the depths. The Macedonian believers were at rock bottom, with no ladder to get out. In spite of their limitations, they gave liberally. How do people do that in the midst of severe financial trials and hard times? They do so only by God s grace. No one can do this of his or her own accord. This type of sacrifice comes only from the power of God working in a person s life. The result of this kind of liberality is great satisfaction within the giver. This is why Paul 20
describes their joy as overflowing. Have you ever thought, I can t afford to give to the Lord s work? These Macedonians gave even in their deep poverty. They are a great example for us to follow. But considering how poor they were, how much were they expected to give? 3. Give according to your ability. According to verse 3, the Macedonians saw the need of their fellow believers in Jerusalem, and then gave according to their ability. According to is the key phrase that unlocks the meaning of these verses. Let me explain it by using an illustration: A dedicated young woman, preparing to be a missionary doctor, approached a multimillionaire uncle for financial help to pay for her tuition to medical school. The wealthy uncle smiled, got out his wallet, and handed his niece $20. It would be accurate to say that the uncle gave the money out of his ability. But if he had written a check for $100,000 he would have been giving according to his ability. Are you presently giving to the Lord according to your ability? Search your heart and evaluate your contribution based on this insight. Once you do, the next point can be assured. 4. Give beyond your ability. The Macedonians knew that their Christian brothers and sisters in Jerusalem were starving, so they disregarded their own needs and gave more than 21
anyone might have expected. Verse 3 teaches us that they were willing to cut back on their own lifestyles in order to help, even when they seemingly couldn t afford it. God s gracious provision captured their hearts and minds and resulted in significant sacrifice. What a powerful example of financial generosity! Giving beyond your ability will require God s wisdom to determine when and how to do this. Then go for it when the spirit of God directs you! What is so amazing is that the Macedonians volunteered for this. 5. Giving should be voluntary. Verse 3 makes it clear that they gave of their own accord. Paul didn t have to plead with them or manipulate their emotions. The Macedonians desired to give entirely on their own. A Christian should never give as a result of someone s arm-twisting. Instead, stewardship requires a voluntary spirit. So if you don t want to give, don t give a penny! Paul presents the Macedonians as an example so that we can see what godly stewardship looks like. 6. Giving should be considered a privilege. Many see giving as an obligation or duty, like a huge boulder weighing down on our pocketbooks; but the Macedonians saw it as a privilege in sharing (v.4). They heard about the plight of the Jerusalem believers, and, according to verse 4, they were... begging us with much urging for the favor of participation 22
in the support of the saints. These words may infer that Paul actually tried to dissuade them from sending money because they had so little. I have been a follower of Jesus for over forty years, and I can t think of a single time that I ve done what the Macedonian Christians did. Have you? Have you ever urgently pleaded (v.4) for the privilege of giving your money to help advance the cause of Christ around the world? Have you ever begged for the chance to alleviate the suffering of others? Imagine believers asking for the offering to be taken a second time! Evidently, the response of the Macedonians caught Paul off guard because he wrote in verse 5, And this, not as we had expected. He had no idea the people would respond that way, but God s grace was working powerfully, causing their giving to go well beyond Paul s expectations. But how did the Macedonians get to this point in their generosity? 7. Giving starts with the heart! According to verse 5, before the Macedonians gave any money to the Jerusalem church, they had submitted themselves first to the Lord. Once they had done that, it was easy for them to present their minds, time, money, and abilities. The Macedonians realized that since Jesus had given His life for them, purchasing them with His own blood, they therefore were not their own. They were absolutely convinced of what Paul told the Roman Christians, For not one of us lives for himself... if we live, we live for the Lord... we are the Lord s (14:7 8). Because they had 23
committed themselves first to the Lord, they were available to help Paul carry out God s will in providing for the needs of others. Right now, the most important decision you can make is to give your life completely to the Lord; making this decision is the key to successful Christian living. This is what you should pray: Lord, my life is Yours. Everything that I am and hold is at Your disposal. I give myself first to You, not to my work, my family, my church, my recreation, my romance, my pursuits, or to satisfying myself. Lord, show me in Your Word what You want me to do, and, by your enablement, I ll obey it. Once you make a heart commitment like this, you will start cheerfully giving to the Lord s work. The Macedonians are a great example to us of what Christian stewardship involves. To follow their example will require a step of faith on your part, trusting that the Lord will provide for your needs as you sacrifice for others. Most importantly, you ll need to commit your heart and life to the Lordship of Jesus. I hope you will. Once you have made this commitment, you can begin to give God s way. This will open a whole new world of sowing and reaping. 24