My last blog laid the groundwork for the special collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem that Paul was taking up from the mainly Gentile churches on his 3rd missionary journey, so please read that before you get into this blog. I intended to send this tomorrow but couldn’t wait.

I want to summarize what he told the church in Corinth about that special collection. AI: “Paul wrote 2 Corinthians around AD 55-57, most likely from Macedonia, possibly Philippi or Thessalonica, during his third missionary journey, shortly after a difficult visit to Corinth that prompted a more painful, lost letter before the 2 Corinthian letter which expresses relief and defends his apostolic authority.” Paul had been in Ephesus for 3 years, from where he made that difficult visit and from where he wrote 1 Corinthians. “After the 3 years he left Ephesus for Troas, grew anxious waiting for Titus (who was bringing news from Corinth and was supposed to meet him in Troas but was late), and then traveled to Macedonia where he finally met Titus, receiving good news about the Corinthian church’s repentance after receiving Paul’s letters (the severe lost letter and the 1 Corinthians letter).” Titus probably delivered both these letters to the Corinthians, but for sure he delivered the 1 Corinthians letter.

2 Cor 8:¹⁶ But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of Titus. ¹⁷ For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. ¹⁸ We have sent along with him the brother (some early church fathers thought that this “brother” was Luke but we really don’t know who it was),whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches; ¹⁹ and not only that, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness, ²⁰ taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; ²¹ for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of other people. ²² We have sent with them our brother (some think this was a 2nd unnamed brother; Trophimus has been mentioned as a possibility) whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. ²³ As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.” What a great compliment to Titus. We know that Timothy was Paul’s special “child in the faith” but Titus is highly praised by Paul here. Later Paul will trust Titus as an evangelist to stay in Crete and correct false teachers there and to teach sound doctrine.

There are so many lessons about giving in 2 Cor 8 and 9. I really enjoyed re-studying those 2 chapters.

1) The Macedonian churches had already given liberally out of their poverty, according to their ability and beyond their ability, toward this special collection. They gave voluntarily and begged Paul for the favor of participating in this collection. Reminds you of the widow’s 2 mites, doesn’t it? They even first “gave of themselves” before they gave their contributions. I imagine there a lot of church goers that still give out of guilt without giving themselves to the Lord.

2) Paul encouraged the Corinthians to fulfill their pledge they had made toward this special collection one year earlier. They were the first to make such a pledge and now they needed to finish what they pledged. Titus had apparently helped them make that pledge a year earlier and he would take this 2 Corinthian letter to Corinth (while Paul was still in Macedonia waiting to go visit Corinth one last time) to make sure the Corinthians fulfilled their pledge. Paul said that their pledge should be a proof of the sincerity of their love and according to their ability.

3) Paul had boasted about the Corinthian pledge to the Macedonian churches (Philippi, etc.) and about the Corinthian zeal from a year earlier that had stirred up the Macedonian churches to give liberally (which they did). So he sent Titus and 2 other brothers to make sure that the Corinthians fulfilled their pledge lest his boasting be in vain. He sent them from Macedonia ahead of his last visit to Corinth to arrange for the Corinthian collection to be ready for him to pick up when he would visit (1 Corinthians 16:1-4). But Paul is quick to point out that he did not want this generous gift they had pledged to be reluctant or under compulsion (one made by a greedy person but who feels compels to make the contribution under force almost or out of guilt or even to grudgingly fulfill their pledge). He wants them to be cheerful givers. It is interesting to note that Paul used the example of the churches in Galatia giving toward this collection to motivate the church in Corinth (1 Cor 16:1-4), and then he used the Corinthian generosity to motivate the churches in Macedonia. The power of the example of sacrificial giving. Quite often I read of someone basically donating all his/her assets to a great work of the Lord somewhere, usually in some poor country overseas. That inspires me to look at my assets and make generous donations. Still working on that!

4) Paul then gave a great principle on giving. God will supply “seed for the sower” is he/she gives liberally, generously, and cheerfully. He will supply more “seed money” for the one who gives like that. God will multiply your seed money for sowing. If you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly, but if you sow generously, you will reap generously. God will be glorified by generous, cheerful giving. I don’t believe this giving has to be to a church budget fund. Churches spend about 75% of the money they collect on buildings and staff. I like the giving habits of the early church. The only collections they took up were for benevolence and the spreading of the gospel. They did not have buildings to pay for and staff salaries, etc. They met in house churches. Acts 2:⁴⁴ And all the believers were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵ and they would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need. Acts 4:³⁴ For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales ³⁵ and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each to the extent that any had need.” AI: “Justin Martyr, in his First Apology (c. 155 AD), describes 2nd-century Christian communities collecting voluntary offerings during Sunday meetings, managed by the church president (bishop) for communal welfare, specifically helping orphans, widows, the sick, imprisoned, and needy strangers, showing a system of communal care funded by voluntary, generous giving from the wealthy and willing.” Why are churches not using all that money they collect to feed the poor, drill clean water wells, and print Bibles to spread the gospel?

4) Paul says that the motivation for all our giving is what God has given us by sending His Son to die and save us from our sins. 2 Cor 8:⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich (i.e. rich spiritually). There is no “prosperity gospel” that if you give liberally you will be blessed materially for your own selfish use although it is true that you might be blessed with more money to share with others if you give liberally but there is not guarantee of even that. 2 Cor 9:¹⁵ Thanks be to God for His indescribable (anekdiégétos: Indescribable, inexpressible: properly, inexpressible (beyond words); indescribable (inexplicable), impossible to estimate (used only in 2 Cor 9:15) ) gift!”  

One of my favorite movies is “The Ultimate Gift”. Great movie. Jason, the protagonist, is a spoiled young adult who never had to work. HIs grandad, whom he resents, dies and gives him a list of gifts which are actually chores and lessons for him to learn in order to get finally “the ultimate gift” and he has no clue what that ultimate gift. I won’t spoil the movie for you if you haven’t seen it, but in the end he truly receives the ultimate gift. God blesses us with so many physcial blessings and spiritual blessings every day. It is my 76th today and I sat with my 3 grown children (no spouses or grandchildren present) at my favorite breakfast place, McDonalds for my usual egg McMuffin and Sr Coffee and I sat as they laughed and laughed and made fun of each other and told stories about their kids and some of our trips. For about 45 minutes, non stop laughing and fun and memories. I thought, I could not get a better material present on my birthday than that! Thank you Lord. That will be a memory I cherish till the day that I die. I wish many such happy memories for you.

Every day thank God his His indescribable, inexpressible, words that cannot express gift in sending His Son to die for us. Imagine a situation where someone in on death row and you are told that if you swap your son to die instead that the death row inmate can go free. Could you give such a gift?

I don’t know what troubles you will face today, but that gift makes it all bearable as you wait for the day when you can leave this trouble filled life and start enjoying eternal life with Jesus, and hopefully with your loved ones someday.