This session was extremely timely for me, as I am preparing to preach a stewardship sermon on Sunday! I think I am actually going to preach on pieces of this text and talk about giving as an act of grace. There are things I like about Paul’s approach and things I don’t like – but it just goes to show that it was just as difficult to talk about money 2,000 years ago as it is now!
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2 Corinthians Bible Study Weekly Recap
October 14, 2014
Chapters 8 & 9
8:1-15
Stewardship Sermon
Kinds of sets it up as a competition between Macedonia and Corinth for giving to the mission
- Paul points out the church in Macedonia doesn’t have a lot of money and still gives a lot – the church in Corinth has more and they should be able to give more
- Our group didn’t necessarily like this approach – they didn’t like using guilt to raise money
Excelling in giving
- 8:7 – just as you have excelled in other things (faith, speech, knowledge, etc.) you can also excel in giving
- Paul puts “giving” in the same category as faith, speech, knowledge, commitment, love – giving wasn’t a necessary evil, it was an act of grace
Paul was unapologetic about the fact that he needed money – this seems like a healthy approach to stewardship
What are good approaches to stewardship?
- Transparency
8:16-24
Titus
- Paul uses Titus as an example of someone who gave
Transparency
- 8:20 – Paul admitted that they needed to be transparent so people didn’t question what they were doing with their money
Just as giving is an act of grace, receiving that money is an act of grace as well – you have to be appreciative of what you’ve been given.
9
Uncomfortable ways of asking
- 9:1-4
- Paul started off by lifting up the community and saying that he knew how willing they were to help, but then turned it around to say that if they did not give, then Paul would be embarrassed
The one who sows a small number of seeds will reap a small crop
God loves a cheerful giver