Brooklands
Gospel
Centre
The Ministry of Giving
In 2 Corinthians 8-
“...and when they perceived the grace that was given unto me….they gave me and Barnabas
the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles. Only they would
that we should REMEMBER THE POOR, which very thing I was also zealous to do” (Galatians
2:8-
However when he arrives at the Macedonian churches he discovers that they are extremely poor and it is very interesting to note how he deals with the situation in the context of the injunction given to him to ‘remember the poor’.
The chapters before us give a detailed account of the events, reactions and results of that visit. They can be conveniently discussed under four headings as follows:
The Plea to Be Involved
We see in the opening paragraphs the twin streams of ‘poverty’ and ‘liberality’ flowing freely. When the Apostle saw their “affliction” and “deep poverty” (8:2) he no doubt would have in the forefront of his mind their need of material help. In the circumstances he might have argued that it wouldn’t be reasonable to inflict on them the great need of the practical assistance required for the church Jerusalem. He would wait until he went south to the prosperous church in Corinth “…that you come behind in no gift.” (1 Corinthians 1:7) and get what was needed there. But it is clear that he told them the situation as it was. Why? Because he saw ‘giving’ as a priestly ministry and part of the church’s worship and he must not deny these believers, impoverished as they were, missing out in this ministry. In this connection perhaps a practical comment is not out of place. When we meet as companies of believers to ‘remember the Lord’ we should always consider that our ‘offering’ is an integral part of the worship that we are rendering to Him. When they heard the report, they “beseeched” the Apostle to be involved and we learn the results of that:
“abounding unto the riches of their liberality, first they gave their own self to the Lord. For according to their power (ability), I bear witness, yea and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord” (v5).
We are given no clue as to the monetary amount that was collected, which is not the point; it was the heart, beating with love to their Lord and their brethren that motivated them to give.
As I consider these verses I have in my mind the situation in May 1984 in Sibiu, Romania. Four hundred believers, in boiling temperatures, crushed into an old factory building were listening to an account of the extreme famine conditions in Ethiopia. First there were tears, then sobs and finally audible cries (translated into) ‘What can we do to help?’ We had come from the ‘West’ with financial help for the suffering and impoverished Romanians, now we were privileged to see the Macedonian plea in action. Before we left an offering was taken for Ethiopia! Again I have no knowledge of the amount taken up, in their circumstances it may not have been a very large but the truth of this Macedonian example was being followed almost to the letter.
We cannot leave these paragraphs without reference to the greatest act of self sacrifice ever made, all human sacrifice fades and disappears at the profound words:
“FOR YE KNOW THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT THOUGH HE WAS RICH, YET FOR YOUR SAKES HE BECAME POOR THAT YE THROUGH HIS POVERTY MIGHT BECOME RICH” (v9).
There can be no doubt that it was THIS sacrifice and supreme example that inspired them, the Romanians, and saints down the centuries, to give to those in need. This should be the basis of our giving to the Lord for His people and maintenance of His work.
The Principles of Involvement
There are three elements in this:
“For if the READINESS is there…” (v13). This is not a tax or an obligatory tithe,
yet is would appear that there is a carry over from Exodus 35:21-
“according as a man HATH, not according as he hath not.” It is quality God is interested in, not quantity. God does not ask any of His children to give what they do not have. Such an exercise before God would undoubtedly lead to a reassessment of one’s lifestyle. Sometimes we sing too casually:
Not that I have mine own I call, I hold it for the Giver,
My heart ,my strength , my life, my all, are His and His for ever.
I recall bother in my own Assembly, saying on one occasion “we may not speak lies, but sometimes we sing them!” I have never forgotten that.
“that others may be eased and you not distressed, but by EQUALITY…” is the third
element. God is looking for fairness and an even burden of stewardship laid upon
his people. The believers in Jerusalem by this principle would accept the gift and
have their distress eased. But as we shall see later it was not all a one-
A Practical Example of Involvement
“But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care for you into the same into the hear of Titus…but being himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own accord,” (v16). The zeal of Titus was the spontaneous action of a heart touched with the love of Christ. Note the steps that led him to take this journey south to Corinth:
He heard of the need -
He paid attention to what he heard -
He received the Apostle’s commendation -
He put his exercise into practice – “…he went forth of his own accord” (v17).
I believe the force of this last comment is that he ‘paid his own way’, where as in relation to the two brethren that accompanied him they were sent by the churches and possibly had their expenses paid! Titus was prepared to spend and be spent not only out of respect for the apostle but also for his Master. As far as he was concerned an understanding of the plight of his fellow Christians in Jerusalem and ensuring that they got the help they needed was paramount and all the more remarkable because of their Jewish background!
The Purpose of the Involvement
In the latter part of chapter 9, the apostle shows that there is a three dimensional
aspect to this ministry. First of all there is (as mentioned above) the material
supply going east. Then we see secondly that there is a reciprocal spiritual supply
coming west -
But marvellous though this is, it pales into insignificance when we consider the
third dimension we could call it the Vertical one! God Himself is involved and so
is His beloved Son -
Just as God is the first cause in salvation in which we see the glory of His grace
we now go a step further and see that glory manifested in the togetherness of ethnical
opposites who are now one in Him resulting in added glory. Then too we must pause,
as we close this study, to consider the last verse of this chapter -
Blessed be God our God who gave for us His well beloved Son,
The gift of gifts all other gifts one, He spared not His Son.
DREW CRAIG