2 Corinthians 9:7

God loves a cheerful giver

Well, as you open your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 9, verse 7, just let me briefly set our passage in context. So Paul, beginning in chapter 8, he discusses this gift that the Corinthians have promised to the poor in Jerusalem. And Paul talks about how he has told the Macedonians about their generosity. which then caused the Macedonians to be stirred up in their own generosity. And so now here, Paul is sending Titus and two other brothers to the Corinthians to collect this gift. And so here in chapter nine, he's admonishing the Corinthians, not wanting to find them not willing or unprepared a year after they promised this gift to the saints in Jerusalem. So that, as brief context, read with me, 2 Corinthians 9, verse seven.

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

So we will see tonight that our giving is a joyful outflowing of who God is and what God has done for us. And we're gonna see this in three different ways. We're gonna see that we should be determined for giving. We'll see that we should be disposed to giving, and that we should be delighted in giving. So determined for giving, disposed to giving, and delighted in giving. First notice how the Corinthians were, Paul is calling the Corinthians to be determined for giving. See in the beginning of verse 7 how the forethought in how we give matters. Paul wants the Corinthian church to be determined in their giving. He wants them to have decided what they will give to the poor before Paul comes. Paul doesn't want their giving to be last minute and haphazard. So if our giving is an outflowing of God's love and an expression of our love for others than ought to be purposeful. Second notice, we should be disposed to giving. Notice the second clause,

not reluctantly or under compulsion.

So the how of giving matters. Giving should not be convinced or having your arm twisted. Paul wants the Corinthians not to be half-hearted in their giving. If you look back at the beginning of chapter 8, you'll see that the Macedonian church, Paul's telling the Corinthians that the Macedonian church, even in their extreme poverty, they gave abundantly. And if anyone had the excuse to be half-hearted in their giving, It was the Macedonians. But even in their poverty, they gave generously with joy. And so notice, too, that our giving should not be under compulsion. Paul's arguing that giving shouldn't be guilt-tripped out of people. Paul here's arguing that the Corinthians' gift unto the poor in Jerusalem must sprout up from their faith in God. and desire to bless others in response to how God has blessed them. So Paul here is not putting them under duress, and he does not want anyone else to put them under duress. But Paul is arguing that for these gifts from the Corinthians to the poor, for them to be pleasing to God, that they must be a freewill offering of the believers in Corinth as they want to bless others. And so this is how they can sow by faith in their giving. And then they can receive a bountiful harvest as we saw last time in verse six. So Paul's saying that forced giving or half-hearted giving is not what pleases God and does not grant the bountiful harvest. Notice thirdly, Paul wants them to be delighted in giving. So giving should be determined, well thought out, and we should be disposed to give because of our joy for who God is and what God has done. And because of that, we can't help but outflow in our giving. And so Paul wants there to be this joyful reunification between the Gentile believers in Corinth that he's writing to and the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem who this gift is for. So think back to Acts chapter 15 where James tells Paul at the very end of the Jerusalem Council that they should not forget about the poor. So by this offering, the Corinthians now are fulfilling that. They're not forgetting about the poor in Jerusalem. in fulfilling the mission of unity between Jews and Gentiles that was set out at the Jerusalem Council. So Paul here doesn't want us just to tithe every week just because we feel the social pressures do. You can't let the plate pass empty in front of you. And he doesn't want us to tithe just because we know it's something we ought to do. We don't want to have an awkward conversation with an elder or deacon afterwards. But he wants us to tithe joyfully. Paul wants us to give back to God some of the good physical provisions that he has given to us. Also, we see that giving back to God is an act of thanksgiving for all that he has done for us, and that it is also an act to bless others. an act to be able to participate in the kingdom work among other people. So giving for Paul is an act of firstfruits, thanksgiving, and this reciprocity, this participation in kingdom work. All this is possible only if it is joyful, heartfelt giving by faith that is not strong-armed or disinterested. So with that, that's how we should think of giving, a few points of application. Notice first, our giving should reflect God's promises. God will provide for you. Look down at verses 10 and 11, where Paul says that God will provide for all your needs and more. Notice verse 11.