The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Boork
Commentary by Nick Boork
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September 7 ~ 2 Corinthians 9:1-15
Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; 2 for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. 3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; 4 lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting. 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this portion of Paul’s letter we see him leading with the kind of balance we wish all leaders would manifested. He personally owned his vision of helping the poor saints in Jerusalem by gently appealing to believers to give generously without making anyone feel shamed if they could not support his mission financially. Don’t you just hate it when you go to a church service or some special meeting and when it comes to the offering the speaker either gets negative, manipulative or down right lies to the people about how God is going to bless them in some supernatural way because this is a unique time limited opportunity to give and God will only bless those that give (Fill in the blank) amount of money! I remember going to one church service where they actually passed the offering plate a total of four times. Once for the general tithes, than a second blessing offering, then a special offering then some other offering I mean it was pathetic! I had friends tell me the story of going to a miracle crusade by some wacky evangelist in Detroit and he took over 45 minutes to receive the offering. This just ticked people off and caused them to not return to his meetings and rightly so.
Thank God that there are pastors and leaders that are not in it for the money! They love God and the people of God and would never do anything to take advantage of believers. This is how Paul was acting as he raised funds. He positively encouraged people to give but didn’t manipulate anyone. He said not to give grudgingly because God loves a cheerful giver. He told them that there generous giving would bring a harvest of righteousness and that God would in fact bless them based on the law of sowing and reaping. Paul said he that sows sparingly will also reap sparingly but he that sowed or gave his money would also reap bountifully. Jesus also taught on the law of giving in Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Jesus is saying, you can’t out give God. When the father sees us, his children giving cheerfully to support the gospel and bless those in need he goes to work causing men to give back to us. This is amazing. I have often experienced the Lord’s blessings and I knew it was a direct result of giving to someone else. One time I felt led to give a Bible to a young man that was visiting our home. Within one week, someone gave me a brand new “Open Bible” still in the box. I had wanted one for a long time and when gave one of my Bibles away I was blessed with another. I reaped quickly what I sowed.
Paul sums up his appeal in verse fifteen by saying; “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” I think that he says this last to put into perspective the heart of God as the ultimate giver, having given the most costly gift he could, his Son Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. That’s how much God the Father loves you and me. If we’re able to give financially for the purpose of advancing the gospel and blessing the poor in Jesus name that is a good work and reflects the heart of God through us.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) Leaders should take care to never try to manipulate people to give money.
2) The Lord loves a cheerful giver
3) The law of sowing and reaping does apply to our giving
4) The greatest gift ever given to any of us is Jesus Christ
5) Thank God for his indescribable gift of eternal life!
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; 2 for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. 3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; 4 lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting. 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this portion of Paul’s letter we see him leading with the kind of balance we wish all leaders would manifested. He personally owned his vision of helping the poor saints in Jerusalem by gently appealing to believers to give generously without making anyone feel shamed if they could not support his mission financially. Don’t you just hate it when you go to a church service or some special meeting and when it comes to the offering the speaker either gets negative, manipulative or down right lies to the people about how God is going to bless them in some supernatural way because this is a unique time limited opportunity to give and God will only bless those that give (Fill in the blank) amount of money! I remember going to one church service where they actually passed the offering plate a total of four times. Once for the general tithes, than a second blessing offering, then a special offering then some other offering I mean it was pathetic! I had friends tell me the story of going to a miracle crusade by some wacky evangelist in Detroit and he took over 45 minutes to receive the offering. This just ticked people off and caused them to not return to his meetings and rightly so.
Thank God that there are pastors and leaders that are not in it for the money! They love God and the people of God and would never do anything to take advantage of believers. This is how Paul was acting as he raised funds. He positively encouraged people to give but didn’t manipulate anyone. He said not to give grudgingly because God loves a cheerful giver. He told them that there generous giving would bring a harvest of righteousness and that God would in fact bless them based on the law of sowing and reaping. Paul said he that sows sparingly will also reap sparingly but he that sowed or gave his money would also reap bountifully. Jesus also taught on the law of giving in Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Jesus is saying, you can’t out give God. When the father sees us, his children giving cheerfully to support the gospel and bless those in need he goes to work causing men to give back to us. This is amazing. I have often experienced the Lord’s blessings and I knew it was a direct result of giving to someone else. One time I felt led to give a Bible to a young man that was visiting our home. Within one week, someone gave me a brand new “Open Bible” still in the box. I had wanted one for a long time and when gave one of my Bibles away I was blessed with another. I reaped quickly what I sowed.
Paul sums up his appeal in verse fifteen by saying; “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” I think that he says this last to put into perspective the heart of God as the ultimate giver, having given the most costly gift he could, his Son Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. That’s how much God the Father loves you and me. If we’re able to give financially for the purpose of advancing the gospel and blessing the poor in Jesus name that is a good work and reflects the heart of God through us.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) Leaders should take care to never try to manipulate people to give money.
2) The Lord loves a cheerful giver
3) The law of sowing and reaping does apply to our giving
4) The greatest gift ever given to any of us is Jesus Christ
5) Thank God for his indescribable gift of eternal life!
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll