“YOUR GENEROSITY PROVES IT!”
Our reading is like part two of a two part teaching on giving. It's Paul's fourth letter to his peers in Corinth, and he's writing again of an offering for the mother church in Jerusalem that he's promoting. It reads like one part fund-raising journal and one part travel journal. Reminds me of someone....
Hobbes: (walking up as Calvin writes...) Hey Calvin! What 'cha doing?
Calvin: I'm writing a fund-raising letter. The secret to getting donations is to depict everyone
who disagrees with you as the enemy. (Hobbes eyebrows the cong.) Then you explain
how they're systematically working to destroy everything you hold dear.
Hobbes: Oh dear.
Calvin: It's a war of values! Rational discussion is hopeless! Compromise is unthinkable!
Our only hope is well-funded antagonism, so we need your money to keep up the fight!
Hobbes: How cynically unconconstructive.
Calvin: Enmity sells, buddy! Show me the money!
It's chilling to think how long ago that cartoon was syndicated. Over 30 years ago! Fortunately, Paul's approach is a little less, shall we say, in your face than Calvin's. Paul's travel journal, as that is what this letter feels like, shifts from sharing where he's been, to where he's headed, who he's following
“Titus welcomed our request that he visit you again. We are also sending another brother with Titus. He was appointed by the churches to accompany us as we take the offering to Jerusalem (after visiting you). We will (all) be traveling together..., along with another one of our brothers.”
(2 Corinthians 8:17-20)
Last week we heard of how Paul had openly shared his discouragement and sought to encourage the Corinthians by sharing how he had since been encouraged by Titus, by his report and the welcome he'd received, and by the amazing generosity of those around him there in Macedonia, as it is from there that Paul writes this letter, encouraged by the generous offerings taken in Philippi / Thessalonica.
He now writes of his travel plans, and those who he sends in advance of his return to Corinth. He sends them for three reasons: one, to build up & encourage the church, two, to help raise the funds, and three, to bodyguard the offerings as they're transported to Jerusalem.
Titus' most important mission assignment is the first –to build up and encourage the Corinthians
Titus is an encourager, as we saw last week. Paul showers him with praise throughout these two chapters. “But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy!” (2 Cor 7:6-7a) Having described him so, Paul then writes that he is sending Titus along with at least two others. In sending Titus, Paul is sending encouragement!
Two, he sends them to help raise the funds. “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... So, I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready, and offered willingly.”
(2 Corinthians 9:3, 5)
It sounds like they're being sent in as a couple of heavy weights.... but it wasn't like that. It's just that three can make a lot more noise together than just one. Titus appeared to be a young man so a couple of more senior associates would've been very.... helpful, more convincing, if you will.
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And three, the third reason Paul sends in reinforcements is because he's going to need some more muscle and some more witnesses as they transport the churches' offerings to Jerusalem. “We are traveling together to guard against any criticism for the way we are handling this generous gift.”
(2 Corinthians 8:20-21)
Paul knows how tricky a simple offering can be. Any time you talk about or actually collect people's money you are walking on thin ice. It's a very touchy subject. No wonder Paul takes special precautions. How ironic that part of the passage I just read makes me cringe. It's the P.K. In me.
You know what that is, don't you? P.K.? Pastor's Kid? Rebel. Trouble-maker! Rabble-rouser! Yup! All true. All accurate. But the PK in me, the me who has sat through countless boring Lutheran Stewardship Talks over the years, was screaming just a moment ago. Did anyone hear it?
I heard it. It was scarey. Soul-wrenching. When I read those words, “God loves a cheerful giver – so you must decide for yourselves – the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8), something in me screamed, “Noooooooo!!!!!” Cartoons of smiling farmers and singing wheat seeds still keep me up at night. I can't do it. Someone else will have to say the words...
Sorry, it's a line from a movie. Guess you had to be there.
So this is what we're going to do. We're going to skip a bit. There's another Pauline gem at the end of our readings that's worth a second look. Paul has noted that as our Creator God loves to provide and by trusting in that as we give freely from our giftings God creates a kind of double blessing.
Paul explains it best: “Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So, two good things will result from this ministry of giving – the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. As a result..., they will give glory to God!”
(2 Corinthians 9:11-13)
It's so true! It's so simple and yet so powerful! When we give generously to the Lord's work, and to God's people in need, not only are basic needs met but both parties wind up feeling closer to God! They thank him and praise him, glorify him. And no wonder! God is generous if nothing else!
As the Bible's most famous verse declares: “For God so loved the world that He...gave it His only Son, that whoever should believe in him, should not perish, but have eternal life!” (John 3:16)
Giving to a world bent on self-destruction your one and only son, is this not the ultimate expression of generosity? Who gives away his most precious relationship….to a bunch of hooligans?
God does. This quality of God, his generosity, is what God seeks to share thru us hooligans! It's our generosity that tells the world who we're about. It's our gifts that broadcast our heart, that turn heads, that let the proverbial cat out of the bag! And that feline is frisky, and yes cheerful, having fun!
Paul puts it like this: “As a result of your giving ministry, (those benefitting by it) will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Jesus Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of God's grace.”
(2 Corinthians 9:13-14)
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So wait, that's a third good thing coming from all this sacrificial giving. Paul notes that it inspires believers to pray for one another. That's evidence that love is growing between them. They care about one another. They' taking the time to life one another up. God's grace in action yet again!
And what's particularly sweet here is Paul's affirming declaration here! He's basically saying that all this praying and praising and blessing one another all got underway through your obedient response to learning of the needs in Jerusalem. Paul declares: 'Your generosity proves that you belong to Jesus!'
The churches in Macedonia gave beyond their means. The Corinthians are being encouraged to rise to the occasion as well. If anyone wonders re:your connection to Christ – your generosity prove it!
I like how the NLT commentators put it: “By describing how their own 'enthusiasm' had incited the Macedonians to give, Paul was, in effect, prodding the Corinthians to rekindle their initial enthusiasm for giving. Paul wasn't naïve about human behavior. The start and end of a marathon are much more thrilling than the miles in between. It takes stubborn determination to keep going. Paul also knew that it took a community to persevere. Just as teammates will cheer on their fellow runners on in a race, so Paul was sending Titus and two others to cheer on the Corinthians.”
(NLT Study Bible notes)
That was a good strategy. Our coach employed it as well. He urged parents to come out and cheer on our cross-country team. He knew how long and far apart those many mile markers could be. So when parents didn't make it, he recruited classmates from the courses he taught. Sometimes that kind of backfired. I remember one little girl who spoke in a perpetual whine, reminiscent of that character in Monsters Inc. Her cheers were less than inspirational.....
(in monotone) Come on......, People. Is that his name? Piper? Pieper? Pieper?!!! What kind of name is that? Hey Pieper kid, hurry up, you're falling behind! Pick it up, Pieper!
Not inspiring. Not...at all. But the guys Paul sends clearly were. Titus certainly was! He could encourage the discouraged simply by the way he walked off the boat. That was Paul's experience.
And these guys did a lot more than just walk off a boat. They pitched in and helped. They had spoken publicly and privately in support of the offering and willingly guarded it once collected.
They cheered on their peers and as a result, Paul could exclaim, “Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!” Those are words that could well have grace my lips many times over the years.
(2 Corinthians 9:15)
I'm so blessed to say the same could be said of you and your generosity! So many times you have responded to a need or a situation with open hearts and and open wallets. When Joni's house burned down you responded, one of you even donating your spare car. When Marci's health declined several of you put your heads together and came along side of her and still strive to do so. When Jill's post-surgery recovery became involved one of you made arrangements to come out on a daily basis to help her with her physical therapy and other needs. When someone suggested to council members last week that we do something to support the fire workers laboring in Brennon, and now a $200 check is being sent along with a verbal commitment to be praying for them. When I brought to you last week that we'd received a letter from a Lutheran church in Alaska seeking $ help, it was decided to likewise send them a check with a commitment to pray for them. Others have been sending support to Amy and George who went thru a real rough spell but are both in better shape physically and financially.
Our mutual aid fund has been hit hard lately! If you want to give sacrificially? Thank you for your partnership! “May you be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous!”
(2 Corinthians 9:11)