The Kind of Giver God Loves

Sunday Sermon
May 16th 2010
Rhema Community Church

Sermonic Skeleton

Sermonic Pericope: ESV 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all contentment in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Sermonic Theme: Give (Giving money is a spiritual act.)

Sermonic Subject: Stewardship (The Ministry of Generosity)

Sermonic Tension: Your mind must be made up in order for you to sow generously into people. (You need a generous spirit.)

Sermonic Sentence: Generously sow into people knowing that God is able to make all grace abound toward you.

Sermonic Question: God is so generous toward you why aren’t you generous toward others?
(A stingy Christian is an oxymoron and a disgrace to grace.)

Sermonic Help: GRACE: New Testament Noun: charis (charis), GK G5921 (S 5485), 155x. charis is “grace, favor”—the acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain. As in the OT, “finding favor in the presence of God” (Lk. 1:30) means that God has an attitude of kindness toward someone, wishing to prosper them. Being “highly favored” highlights God’s decision to bless and use that person for his good purpose (of Mary, Lk. 1:28; even of Jesus, 2:52; cf. also Stephen, Acts 6:8). Paul acknowledges that God’s “grace” has called and equipped him to be the authoritative apostle of Christ’s gospel (Rom. 15:15).

Jesus’ mission to the world is seen as the appearance of “grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14, 17), even “grace upon grace” (1:16). The gospel of Jesus Christ can rightfully be called “the word of his grace” (Acts 14:3; 20:32) and “the gospel of the grace of God” (20:24), and being sent out to preach the gospel is seen as “being handed over to the grace of God” (14:26; 15:40).

In the NT, God’s grace manifests itself most clearly in the sacrificial, substitutionary death of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24–26; Heb. 2:9). By nature gifts of grace cannot be earned (Rom. 11:6), for a gift earned is the opposite of a gift of grace (4:4). Grace, Christ, and salvation are so connected that those who attempt to earn righteousness have “fallen away from the grace” (Gal. 5:4; cf. 2:21). Salvation is “by grace through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).

The undeserved blessings of grace are numerous. Jesus gave up the riches of heaven, making himself poor so as to make sinful humans rich—that is “grace” (2 Cor. 8:9)! Every step of God’s salvation (from eternity past to the everlasting future) is accomplished through grace: his precreational choosing of the elect in Christ (Eph. 1:4–6), his inner call to the gospel (2 Tim. 1:9), his regeneration of dead sinners (Eph. 2:5), his gift of saving faith (Acts 18:27), his redemption of sinners (including justification, Tit. 3:7; forgiveness of sins, Eph. 1:7), his sanctification of believers (2 Cor. 9:8; 2 Thess. 2:16–17), his preservation of the saints (1 Cor. 1:4, 8), and his glorification of believers (1 Cor. 15:57; 2 Thess. 1:12). God saves “in order that in the coming ages he might show the surpassing richness of his grace in kindness on us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7).

Grace is a new domain in which and by which Christians live (Rom. 15:15; 16:20). In this realm sin no longer rules (6:14). By his grace, God affects Christians’ personal lives, giving them the ability to obey the gospel from the heart (Rom. 6:17), the ability to work hard (1 Cor. 15:10), and an increase of joy in severe trials (2 Cor. 8:1–2). God graciously affects Christians’ interpersonal relations, giving them care in their hearts for others (2 Cor. 8:16) and different spiritual gifts that cause the body of Christ to function together (Rom. 12:6).

The believer is motivated to show practical grace to others. Jesus applies charis (translated “credit,” “benefit,” or “thanks”) to the act of doing something kind for someone who has not earned and does not deserve it (Lk. 6:32–34). The Christian knows that no matter the level of suffering or weakness in life, Christ’s grace toward them is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9), allowing them to “approach the throne of grace with confidence in order that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 4:16). Dependence on Christ’s power and grace causes an overflow of thanksgiving (2 Cor. 4:15).

Sermonic Title: “THE KIND OF GIVER GOD LOVES”

Sermonic Structure:

I. God generously loves people who cheerfully sow (Verses 6-7)

II. God generously supplies seed to the cheerful sower (Verses 8-11)

III. God generously graces us for service (Verses 12-14)

IV. God generously gave us His son (Verse 15)