2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 9

[Kevin Young]

Sorry sorry sorry. We flew in from Manchester, NH on Monday and I didn't get any sleep that night, so I was in and out of sleep all day Monday, and then it completely slipped my mind yesterday. Please forgive me, especially Sam (Sassy).

Alright, so without further delay, let's get this party started! This week we are discussing 2 Corinthians chapter 9. After you read the chapter, please post your thoughts, questions, and insights here in this thread. God bless you all

Kevin

[sassy1506]

Oh, it's fine. I'm a homeschooler so half the time I don't know what day it is anyway. These past few days have been really hectic for me. Between a karate tourney Saturday, to spending about half the day preaching at two churches Sunday, to going across the county to buy my brother a drum set then practically sleeping through the karate class Monday, to going to my first piano lesson in weeks yesterday, I'm pretty much a zombie. Thank GOD for coffee.

Now to business . . .

3 But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you. 4 We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them!

This reminds me of those many times when my parents have made me clean my room. I spend a bunch of time on it, then I get distracted. So when my parents come up, or my friends get there, they find me sitting there reading or playing the guitar or taping danger tape in random places or writing something . . . the list can go on forever. It's not the fact that I haven't been doing it, it's the fact that they caught me off-guard. If they had warned me that they'd be coming up a few minutes earlier, I would've gotten back on track.

5 So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.

A gift given grudgingly isn't a gift at all, really. It's not from the heart. It's what's from the heart that counts.

7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

Peer pressure is always bad. I went to my friend's youth group a few weeks ago and their pastor mentioned how some people become "Christians" just because it's a powerful moment. That's what first happened to me, but since seeing you guys, I've begun living it.

That had barely anything to do with it . . . but it's true. Also, something that this doesn't actually say is that we shouldn't compete in how much we give. You know? I mean, people seem to think they're holier when they give more. But then those same people turn around and criticize the people who can't give as much.

8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,

“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”[d]

I know I've mentioned this before, but a family from my sister church recently lost everything in a fire. The first time I went to a service at my sister church in four years was this past Sunday. In addition to me preaching, I also had to present something for the 30 hour famine with our youth group. After the service, the mother of the family came up to my brother and me and said she was going to donate to us. Let me repeat this: THEY. LOST. EVERYTHING. But she's still giving. All the extra clothes donated to them are being given elsewhere. That is DEFINITELY a family of cheerful givers who's deeds will always be remembered.

[Ric]

7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Oh, how this point totally destroys so many TV ministries! I can't count the number of times I've heard someone say to "step out and sow a seed of faith", gimme gimme gimme, etc. I've heard said that the wallet is the last frontier of your relationship with God... so why do so many go there first??? They plead and all but beg you to send in all your money, sometimes going so far as to say that "your gift of $6600 will heal your cancer"! Where's that in the Bible??? I've heard people in former churches beat the congregation about the head and shoulders over why we all needed to pay our tithes. You don't PAY your tithes. You GIVE your tithes. Besides, I'm positive that God wants YOU much more than He wants your money.

In Genesis we read of Abraham meeting Melchizedek(spelling?), and giving him a tenth of everything he had(tithe means tenth). Well, in that time and era a tenth was rightfully a king's share, and since Melchizedek was the king of Salem(means peace), Abraham GAVE him his rightful share as a way of acknowledging his kingship.

Now Imma spin this all around... who's your King?

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

This sheds a whole new light on why to strive for being wealthy! I've read this before, but I've never looked at it like that before.

12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Notice the chain reaction here. You give toward someone's needs, and you supply it. They give thanks to God and talk about it to people. People hear about your giving and it proves you're sincere. Fellow believers praise God because of your generosity, and together they all pray for YOU!