2 Corinthians 8:16 – 9:15
“The Giver and the Gatherer”
I. Intro.
In the first 15 verses of chapter 8, Paul’s focus was on the right heart in giving, and he provided two wonderful examples of giving from opposite ends of the scale:
- The churches in Macedonia: These churches were “dirt poor” but begged for the opportunity to give beyond their means.
- Jesus: Out of His incredible riches of glory, He gave everything up and became poor that we might be rendered incredibly rich.
These two examples reveal that giving has nothing to do with what you have and everything to do with who you have! However, what I often hear from people regarding money taken in the form of taxes or given as an offering is that they object to how it is spent. I was watching a program that looked at some of the well-known televangelists and their wealth, and I realized that many people look at their lifestyles and see nothing wrong with supporting it, especially when their message is centered on how to achieve that wealth yourself. One such televangelist said, “Jesus came to give us the abundant life; I can’t be a blessing if I’m poor, broke, and depressed.” Another said, “Don’t let people tell you that God wants to give you enough. His name is El Shaddai, and El Shaddai means more than enough. Why would a God whose name means more than enough stop at enough?”
For me and many others, we would see this kind of giving as just going to line their pockets, enriching a few at the exploitation of many. I once heard a story about a very wealthy man who was on his deathbed and called three old friends (a doctor, a lawyer, and a televangelist) in with an odd request. He said, “You’ve heard it said that you can’t take it with ya, but I aim to do just that! I’ve got three envelopes with a million in cash, and just before they close my coffin, I want each of you to toss in your envelope.” Each of the three agreed to do it, and after the funeral, as they rode back together, the doctor confessed, “I got to tell ya, I didn’t put in the full amount like I promised. You see, I wanted to start a free medical clinic, so I took out a quarter-million to get it started.” The lawyer said, “I got to admit as well, I didn’t put all of it in either, as I wanted to offer free legal services for folks who can’t afford it, so I took out half a million.” Both of them turned to the televangelist, waiting for his confession, but instead, he said, “Shame on you both for taking his money like that. Why, I wrote him a check for the full amount!”
Having already dealt with the heart of the giver, the rest of this section deals with guidelines for the heart of the gatherer.
II. Vs. 16-24 Concerning the Collection
Vs. 16-19: The principle shifts from the heart of the giver to the proper administration of the gift. It is interesting to note that Paul distanced himself from the actual gathering of the gift, thus diminishing his enemies’ opportunities to say that he was applying pressure to get them to give or that he had his hand in the till. The responsibility for handling the gift didn’t fall on just one person but rather on a group of people (in fact, Paul lists three here in this passage). There was accountability left in the hands of people of high integrity.
- Vs. 16-17: The first person Paul mentions in this regard is Titus, a man who had already demonstrated his genuine care for the Corinthians as he was the one Paul sent to reach out to them. Titus had manifested integrity not only before Paul but also before the Corinthian believers. They wouldn’t see Titus as a person trying to manipulate them into giving, and they wouldn’t reject his exhortation to do the right thing and finish what they committed to doing a year earlier.
- Vs. 18-21: Many commentators view this person as none other than Luke, though we are never told his name. What we know is that his character was famous among the churches, as all who knew him praised God on his behalf. The fact that he was praised for “the gospel throughout all the Churches” reveals that his heart was toward reaching the lost, and it was evident wherever he went. In verse 19, we are told that he was “chosen to travel with them with the gift.” There was a “show of hands” by which he was elected to go and deliver the gift to the believers in Jerusalem. Paul’s critics could not say that Paul hand-selected those who had charge over the money. In verse 20, Paul admits that this was done to avoid, “that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us.” Few things will destroy the integrity of the church faster than mishandling money, so Paul took special precautions in this regard.
- Vs. 22: Paul had reached the age of around 60 and perhaps suffered from what many of us do as we age—a lapse of memory! So, he could not think of the brother’s name and decided to describe him instead: “He’s the one whom we’ve proven and tested.” Sometimes, I think it would be better to remember the character of a person more than their name, don’t you?
The extra care in gathering the gift assured the Corinthian believers that their giving would be used to further the Lord’s work and not just enrich those who received the offering.
Vs. 23-24: Paul summarizes all three but specifically mentions Titus, who had been Paul’s colleague since the Council in Jerusalem (Galatians 2:1). Having spoken so highly of the three men, Paul concludes by asking the Corinthians to treat the three as he had described them. In doing so, they would show that they were of the same character. What does this say to us about our giving? Only that what we do with our treasure is a demonstration of where our heart is! Remember the words of Jesus in Luke 19:9 at the response of Zacchaeus giving as He said, “Today salvation has come to this house…”
III. Vs. 1-5 Grace for the Gatherer
Vs. 1-5: I see three more things for the gatherer to apply:
- Vs. 3a: It is apparent that Paul wanted the giving done before his arrival so that no one would think that his coming to them was predicated upon him getting money. What a difference this attitude is when compared to many in the ministry today who won’t come unless you guarantee them money upfront.
- Vs. 3b: Paul didn’t want his presence to stir up an emotional response, as it would take away from “the spirit of grace” that they already had. Quite frankly, I’m turned off by the “Madison Avenue” marketing to the Church to get believers to participate in something that only the Holy Spirit should motivate us to do out of an awareness of the goodness of God lavished upon us. I wonder how much more of the money could get into the hands of those who need it if they didn’t send out weekly ad campaigns to get me to give?
- Vs. 2, 5: Paul didn’t want the collection to be a “last-minute thing.” There was to be no pressure in the giving, and when folks feel like they have no time to make a decision, they are apt to feel squeezed into giving an amount that they hadn’t prayed about. Paul states up front that these Corinthian believers were already committed to giving, and in fact, it was their willingness to do so that caused the Macedonian Churches to ask for the opportunity to get involved.
IV. Vs. 6-15 Benefits of Benevolence
Vs. 6-15: Finally, Paul turns to five benefits of benevolence.
- Vs. 6: Paul borrows an analogy from agriculture to tell us that giving is more than the act of giving away your funds or resources; it is a process that will return something to you as well, like a farmer who sows seed in the spring. The farmer goes out to sow, and it appears as though he is throwing it away; he cannot gather it up again, he has given up control of it. But Paul says, “It’s not lost, it’s a gain, because each tiny seed that is thrown away will produce a plant that will have hundreds or thousands more seeds!” God’s design is that “The return is always proportionate to the sowing. If a farmer sows a little amount of seed, he will get back a smaller amount in the harvest.” Ah, but if the person sows bountifully, he will receive a bountiful harvest in return.
- Vs. 7: Paul again emphasizes that they are to give without any outside pressure, as the Lord has laid it upon their heart. I think far too much giving is done so that the person giving can claim that they have done so. Jesus said in Matthew 6:3-5, “If you give to be seen of men, you’ve got your reward. You were seen of men. That’s it; don’t expect any more…” Giving must come from a desire to give to meet the need, not from a desire to gain a reputation.
- Vs. 8-10: Giving must be expectant. The quote is from Psalm 112:9, which speaks of the righteous man and his ability to meet others’ needs. Men may forget the gift over time, but the true Giver will remember it forever. You are dealing with God, and it is impossible to out-give Him. There is nothing selfish about recognizing that you will be blessed with more when you use what you have been blessed with to bless others. People who give for the right reasons become more generous, gracious, and godly-minded.
- Vs. 11-14: Paul says that God will give back to you in two ways:
- Vs. 11: It will awaken gratitude in those to whom you give.
- Vs. 12-14: It stimulates them to pray for you.
- Vs. 15: Most importantly, it glorifies God. People will praise God for our faithful giving. It blesses God to see His people generously respond to the needs of others! James said in 1:27 that “Pure religion and undefiled before … the Father, is this, that you visit the widow and the orphans in their affliction…”
Giving is godlike, and we are reminded in Scripture that we are to give because we have been given to. Based on verse 7, I think we need to change the old adage that says you need to “Give until it hurts!” to “Give until it’s hilarious!” “Don’t give until it’s painful; give until you can party!” Giving should not be heavy lifting; it should be happy lifting! Jesus said in Matthew 10:8, “Freely you have received, freely give.”