2 Corinthians 8
August Memory Verse: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)
Read: 2 Corinthians 8
Before jumping into chapter 8, let’s remind ourselves of the context Paul discussed back in chapter 6 with some emphasis added:
Chapter 8 deals with generosity and Paul’s encouragement to give. If we read this chapter in isolation, it can feel a little out of left field and detached from Paul’s themes of 2nd Corinthians. I hope you see this is not the case.
Nothing more vividly illustrates the affections of our heart like our bank ledger. Thus, when Paul discusses our eternal hope like in chapters 4 & 5, he eventually gets to the eternal investment of our heart—and finances is one way we can invest.
At the end of chapter 8, Paul warned against a discredited ministry, specifically in the area of financial responsibility, “taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift.” This precaution is one of the many that Paul listed in chapter 6.
I don’t know about you, but this last week, I have felt many (obviously not all) of the EVERYTHING(s) listed from chapter 6. Chapter 8 reminds us that though we may HAVE NOTHING, we POSSESS ALL THINGS.
In verse 2, even in affliction, Paul commends the generosity of the Macedonians. Even in their poverty, they gave what they had. It does not matter the actual amount. What matters is the trust in the Lord of the giver. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich… For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.” A sacrificial gift isn’t about the amount, it’s about a heart struggling to know what to keep for themselves.
2nd Corinthians deals so much with the eternal hope we have in Christ. It’s hard for a church in the midst of grief not to think about Tim in every line on every page. But remember, what we’re celebrating as we remember Tim’s life and ministry—it’s his investment in eternity. The clearest example is that instead of flowers or gifts, the family wanted to honor him by building more churches around the world through the generosity of those who loved him. What a testament to where Tim’s treasure was. Also, as a church leader, he built financial accountability into our structure so that we remain aligned with verse 20. That’s the investment Paul is talking about.
By: Tyler Short
Read: 2 Corinthians 8
Before jumping into chapter 8, let’s remind ourselves of the context Paul discussed back in chapter 6 with some emphasis added:
3 giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4 but in EVERYTHING [Paul then describes what EVERYTHING is] commending ourselves as servants of God, in much ENDURANCE, in AFFLICTIONS, in HARDSHIPS, in DIFFICULTIES, 5 in BEATINGS, in IMPRISONMENTS, in TUMULTS, in LABORS, in SLEEPLESSNESS, in HUNGER, 6 in PURITY, in KNOWLEDGE, in PATIENCE, in KINDNESS, in the HOLY SPIRIT, in GENUINE LOVE, 7 in the WORD OF TRUTH, and in the POWER OF GOD; by the WEAPONS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS for the right hand and the left, 8 by GLORY and DISHONOR, by EVIL REPORT and GOOD REPORT; regarded as DECEIVERS and YET TRUE;9 as UNKNOWN and yet WELL KNOWN, as DYING and yet behold, we are ALIVE; as PUNISHED and yet NOT PUT TO DEATH, 10 as SORROWFUL yet always REJOICING, as POOR yet making many RICH, as HAVING NOTHING and yet POSSESSING ALL THINGS.
Chapter 8 deals with generosity and Paul’s encouragement to give. If we read this chapter in isolation, it can feel a little out of left field and detached from Paul’s themes of 2nd Corinthians. I hope you see this is not the case.
Nothing more vividly illustrates the affections of our heart like our bank ledger. Thus, when Paul discusses our eternal hope like in chapters 4 & 5, he eventually gets to the eternal investment of our heart—and finances is one way we can invest.
At the end of chapter 8, Paul warned against a discredited ministry, specifically in the area of financial responsibility, “taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift.” This precaution is one of the many that Paul listed in chapter 6.
I don’t know about you, but this last week, I have felt many (obviously not all) of the EVERYTHING(s) listed from chapter 6. Chapter 8 reminds us that though we may HAVE NOTHING, we POSSESS ALL THINGS.
In verse 2, even in affliction, Paul commends the generosity of the Macedonians. Even in their poverty, they gave what they had. It does not matter the actual amount. What matters is the trust in the Lord of the giver. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich… For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.” A sacrificial gift isn’t about the amount, it’s about a heart struggling to know what to keep for themselves.
2nd Corinthians deals so much with the eternal hope we have in Christ. It’s hard for a church in the midst of grief not to think about Tim in every line on every page. But remember, what we’re celebrating as we remember Tim’s life and ministry—it’s his investment in eternity. The clearest example is that instead of flowers or gifts, the family wanted to honor him by building more churches around the world through the generosity of those who loved him. What a testament to where Tim’s treasure was. Also, as a church leader, he built financial accountability into our structure so that we remain aligned with verse 20. That’s the investment Paul is talking about.
By: Tyler Short
1 Comment
Amen!