2 Corinthians 9 - Introduction

God Loves A Cheerful Giver

Second Corinthians Nine

Paul did not feel that the church at Corinth really needed all the teaching he was giving them about giving. He was well aware of the promise that they had already made concerning a generous contribution to be given. Paul had boasted to the churches in Macedonia about how Corinth planned to give. He did not want his having boasted so much about these people to have been in vain! Therefore he sent Titus and the other brothers to help collect their bounty. Paul felt that they should be ashamed if they had pledged to do something and then did not do it.

The bounty or blessing from Corinth would bless many in Jerusalem. In our church giving we can only give to the church of our Lord. If you give your money to any other church, you will be supporting LIES and your worship would be in VAIN! When you give to the cause of Christ you should give with a spirit of gladness about being able to share what you have. When you consider the amount that you will give count the number of ways that God can bless you and give accordingly.

Sufficiency is a key word when it comes to giving. God has blessed us with sufficient for our needs and to share with others. We should give accordingly. Paul's statements concerning giving sound very much like Psalms 112:9. "He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour." God does give "seed to the sower, and bread to the eater." (Isaiah 55:10) The sower is the one that gives of whatever he has to help other people. God promised to provide (1) Bread for your food, (2) He will multiply your seed sown, and (3) He will increase the fruits of your righteousness. God often increases out wealth so that we can go out and meet the needs of people even more.

Think of all the good that would be done if the church at Corinth gave the generous offering they had promised: (1) Needs of the Jerusalem church would be supplied, (2) Thanksgivings would go up to God in many places, (3) The Corinthians would have supplied proof of their love, and (4) The Christians at Jerusalem would begin to pray for the church at Corinth as soon as they heard from them. Thankfulness for God's unspeakable gift of Jesus and His gospel was all the motivation that was needed to insure that the proper gift would be given by the Corinthians.