Christian UniverseTM
Home | Christian Resources | Christian Links | Links | Site Map
Sermon:
The Care of God, Part 4
February 26, 2006
This sermon was presented before the Load, Kentucky, Church of Christ, on February 26, 2006. God cares for His people, and has set forth the means to provide that care. I pray that we shall all learn His methods in caring for His children. Bernie Parsons
The Care of God, Part 4
A sermon by Bernie Parsons
Part 4 in a series of five, presented at the Load, Kentucky,
church of Christ on Sunday, 02/26/2006
Previously we studied
how that the early Christians sold their excess properties and pooled the
money, disbursing to each Christian as the need arose. As we continue to
examine the way that the early Christians dealt with helping the poor, we
re-examine the passage from the apostle Paul’s first Corinthian letter.
1 Corinthians 16:1: “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have
given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
2: Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store,
as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
3: And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I
send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
4: And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.”
The apostle Paul revisits this subject in his second Corinthian letter.
2 Corinthians 8:1: “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God
bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2: How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and
their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
3: For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were
willing of themselves;
4: Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take
upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5: And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to
the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”
Paul says that the Macedonian churches had given liberally of their
resources, even beyond their means. That is, they sacrificed in order to
have enough to share with their needy brethren in Jerusalem, which they then
urged Paul and his companions to take to those brethren in need.
2 Corinthians 8:6: “Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so
he would also finish in you the same grace also.
7: Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and
knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound
in this grace also.”
Paul said that he had asked Titus to follow up with the Corinthian church to
make sure that their generosity matched that of their Macedonian brethren.
2 Corinthians 8:8: “I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the
forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.”
Some try to bind what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:1 as a commandment for
all Christians. It reads: “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as
I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.”
However, in 2 Corinthians 8:8, he says that it is not by commandment, but
rather that it is to be a generosity matching that of others, and proof of
their sincere love for their needy Christian brethren in Jerusalem.
2 Corinthians 8:9: “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 be rich.”
In verse 9, the apostle Paul invokes the example of Christ, who left the
riches of heaven, becoming a poor human, in order to share His riches in
heaven with His followers.
2 Corinthians 8:10: “And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for
you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year
ago.
11: Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to
will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
12: For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a
man hath, and not according to that he hath not.”
Again, Paul abandons the order that he issued a year earlier, in the first
letter, stating it now as advice, rather than an order, as he had previously
put it. Having invoked the example of Christ, and the generosity of the
other churches, Paul now exhorts the Corinthians to do what they had been
willing to do a year earlier. He clearly states that they are to give of
what they have, not overburdening themselves.
2 Corinthians 8:13: “For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye
burdened:
14: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply
for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want:
that there may be equality:
15: As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he
that had gathered little had no lack.”
Paul now reaches back to the teachings of the Law of Moses in order to make
plain what he is suggesting.
Exodus 16:14: “And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face
of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost
on the ground.
15: And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is
manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the
bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.
16: This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man
according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of
your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
17: And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
18: And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had
nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every
man according to his eating.”
As the ancient Israelites shared the manna, so the Christians were to share
resources. Those who have more than they need share with those who do not
have enough, so that everyone has enough. The tables may one day turn, and
the recipient of the help today may be the giver of help tomorrow. We reap
what we sow.
2 Corinthians 8:16: “But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care
into the heart of Titus for you.
17: For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his
own accord he went unto you.
18: And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel
throughout all the churches;
19: And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel
with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the
same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
20: Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is
administered by us:
21: Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also
in the sight of men.
22: And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved
diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great
confidence which I have in you.
23: Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper
concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of
the churches, and the glory of Christ.
24: Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your
love, and of our boasting on your behalf.”
Paul next establishes the credentials of those whom he had sent to gather
the offering for the needy saints. He let them know that the money would
reach the intended recipients. The men who would carry it were honest, godly
men of sterling reputation in the church. Having invoked the sacrifice of
Jesus, reminded them of the sharing of the manna collection, and recalled
their earlier eagerness to help, he now asks for proof of their love, that
they live up to the bragging that he has done about their readiness to give.
2 Corinthians 9:1: “For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is
superfluous for me to write to you:
2: For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them
of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked
very many.
3: Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain
in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
4: Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we
(that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
5: Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would
go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had
notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not
as of covetousness.”
Apostle Paul writes that he had used his boasting about Corinth to stir up
the hearts of the Macedonian Christians to be generous. He tells the
Corinthians that they must measure up to his brags about them. Therefore, he
sent other brethren on ahead to help round up the Corinthian gifts, lest
some Macedonian Christians should come with him when he came to get the
Corinthian collection and take it to Jerusalem.
2 Corinthians 9:6: “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap
also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully.”
Next, Paul used the scriptural concepts that those who did not sow much
would not reap much, and also that the one who lends to the poor, lends to
the Lord, and will prosper.
Proverbs 28:19: “He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he
that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.”
Proverbs 19:17: “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and
that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
2 Corinthians 9:7: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let
him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
The Christian is to give in an amount that he decides, and not out of
constraint, or because it is exacted of him. One must give cheerfully, not
begrudgingly. There is no teaching here of tithing. The oft-abused scripture
about our righteousness exceeding that of the Pharisees is out of context
when applied to tithing, or collecting for the needy.
2 Corinthians 9:8: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every
good work:
9: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor:
his righteousness remaineth for ever.
10: Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your
food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your
righteousness;)”
Psalms 112:9: “He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his
righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.”
Isaiah 58:10: “And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the
afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be
as the noonday:
11: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in
drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”
2 Corinthians 9:11: “Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness,
which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
12: For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of
the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
13: Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your
professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal
distribution unto them, and unto all men;
14: And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding
grace of God in you.
15: Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
Paul points out that it is God who gives us an abundance, to meet our needs,
and to share with others who are worse off then we. This causes us to give
thanks to God, and to praise His name. Thus, the benefits are twofold: the
needs of the saints are met while at the same time all are made to rejoice
and thank God. This causes those outside of Christ to take note of our joy
in the Lord, and our thanksgiving to Him.
Note in verse 13 that Paul says that people glorify God by the liberal
distribution to the saints, and to all men.
Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap.
8: For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but
he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not.
10: As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men,
especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
As the Israelites were commanded to assist the strangers (Gentiles) living
among them, so are Christians taught to help all men, and not just those who
are Christians. Our help begins toward those within the body of Christ, but
reaches out into the non-believing community, as well. This is one of the
ways that we let our lights shine.
We see an experiment, as Paul put it, in relieving the needy. (One can
suffer need without necessarily being in poverty.) This is done by sharing
our abundance—our surplus—thus creating equality. Today’s giver may be
tomorrow’s recipient, or vice versa. We have this beautiful expression of
charity, as a reflection of the love of God. It is a wonderful example of
how needs can be met—through a collection of generous, voluntary donations
over time, so that there is enough on hand to meet sudden needs arise.
