The Generosity Gospel

SERMON SERIES - RENEWAL IN CHRIST ; 2 CORINTHIANS

SERMON TEXT - 2 Corinthians 8:1-7

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 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. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 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.

SERMON SUMMARY -

In a church, there are three topics that are certain to make the congregation uncomfortable… sin, politics and perhaps most of all… money. Jesus spoke often about money and its trappings. The 16th century Reformation grew out of a great concern about how the church was raising money to fund the Renaissance. Many have left the church in modern times because of the prevalence of the so-called Prosperity Gospel and its monstrous growth around the world. Throughout 2 Corinthians, Paul has made it clear that Christians are called to a life of suffering and grief… but also joy. This begs the question, if we are not in the business of preaching a gospel of absolute prosperity… what then is the church to model as it handles money in a sinful world? In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul presents to the church a gospel of generosity, which runs entirely counter to ever form of the prosperity gospel. The church is to be overflowing with generosity. We have been called to be generous when times are abundant and when times are scarce, not to be blessed by God, but because Christians have been blessed by Jesus. The Apostle presents generosity to God’s people as an act of grace. Open your heart to today’s message and learn of God’s desire to shape you into a miraculously generous follower of Jesus.