August
20th 2
Corinthians 8
C. The Collection for the poor Christians of Jerusalem
Christian
Giving Our Macedonian brothers
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. 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. 8: I speak not by
commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to
prove the sincerity of your love. 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. 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.
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
says l want you to be aware of the grace of God that has been given
to the churches of Macedonia. Paul is probably speaking of the church
of Philippi and possibly Thessalonica. And he says, how that through
great trials of affliction the out flowing of their joy, inspite of
their deepest poverty manifested itself in the richness of their
giving to us. They might have been deeply poor and going through
great trials of their faith but their generosity was outstanding. Not
only do l bear record of their generosity but even beyond their power
they gave. They pleaded with us to receive their gift and that we
should take to us their tokens of fellowship in our ministry. We did
not want them to do all this for us but they first had given
themselves to the Lord and secondly their gifts to us were Gods will
to them. So we asked Titus to continue to accomplish the same
blessing for you too. Paul says, just as you are overflowing in
everything, faith, speech, knowledge and in all conscientiousness,
and in your love to us, Now see to it, that you abound in your giving
to Gods work also. I am not commanding you in the name of the Lord
but l am asking you in the light of the eagerness of others to prove
the reality of your devotion. Because you know the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ in that although he was rich yet he for your sake he
became poor so that you through his poverty might be become rich.
This is the advise l give you that this is appropriate for you now
because l know that you did this about a year ago. So now go ahead
and give your gifts which l know you were willing previously to do.
Because if you were willing then go ahead and do the thing on your
mind. Now it is your turn to give something back to take a share in
the needs of the churches of Macedonia. Share with them as they share
with you. The scripture says of those who collected manna, that he
that gathers much will have nothing over and he that gathers little
shall have no lack.
- What does Paul say about the Macedonian brethren?
- How was the grace of God revealed?
- What is meant by.. As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack?
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