2 Corinthians 8:9 The Gifts of Christmas: Generosity
Lessons from the Vegetable Guy
Leadership Magazine carried a story about 4 young men, Bible College students, who were renting a house together. One Saturday morning someone knocked on their door. When they opened it, there stood this bedraggled-looking old man. His eyes were kind of marbled, and he had a silvery stub of whiskers on his face.
His clothes were ragged and torn. His shoes didn’t match. In fact, they were both for the same foot. And he carried a wicker basket full of unappealing vegetables that he was trying to sell. The boys felt sorry for him and bought some of his vegetables just to help him out. Then he went on his way.
But from that time on, every Saturday he appeared at their door with his basket of vegetables. As the boys got to know him a little bit better, they began inviting him in to visit a while before continuing on his rounds.
They soon discovered that his eyes looked marbled, not because of drugs or alcohol, but because of cataracts. They learned that he lived just down the street in an old shack. They also found out that he could play the harmonica, and that he loved to play Christian hymns, and that he really loved God.
So every Saturday they would invite him in, and he would play his harmonica and they would sing Christian hymns together. They became good friends, and the young men began trying to figure out ways to help him.
One Saturday morning, the story says, right in the middle of all their singing and praising, he suddenly said to them, "God is so good!" And they all agreed, "Yes, God is so good." He went on, "You know why he is so good?" They said, "Why?" He said, "Because yesterday, when I got up and opened my door, there were boxes full of clothes and shoes and coats and gloves. Yes, God is so good!" And the roommates smiled at each other and chimed in, "Yes, God is so good."
He went on, "You know why He is so good?" They answered, "You already told us why. What more?" He said, "Because I found a family who could use those things, and I gave them all away."
The Gift of Giving
We are in the midst of a series called the “Gifts of Christmas.” I’m asking the question: What does Christmas create in us? What things are possible in our lives because Jesus came to earth as a tiny baby?
And today’s answer is: Generosity. Because God has been generous in sending Jesus to us, we can be generous to others.
Our text this morning is 2 Corinthians 8:1-9. Let’s go ahead and read it now:
1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. 6So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us --see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Paul the apostle is raising an offering. The Christians in Jerusalem were suffering. They were mostly Jews who had put their trust in Jesus and so they were being persecuted by other Jews. Plus, there was a famine. The Christian church in the very birthplace of Christianity—the place where Jesus died and rose again—was under big time financial pressure. So Paul decided he would challenge the churches he had helped to start to raise a love offering to help their suffering brothers.
Let’s put a map up so you can get a sense of where things are at. This is what we call Greece. Corinth, the city this letter is written to, is down in the south. The area to the north is called Macedonia and includes the cities of Thessalonica, Philippi, and Berea; all of which had churches Paul helped to start. And as Paul writes this letter, he’s in Macedonia, getting ready to go to Corinth. And he’s finding that the Macedonians are being incredibly generous. So now, he’s sending this letter on ahead (with Titus) to urge the Corinthians to be equally generous.
And in the process he references Christmas. Did you notice that? Did you see the Christmas reference in the passage? It’s the last verse I read, and it tells us that Christmas is the reason we can be generous. 2 Corinthians 8:9:
9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Here’s the Christmas story in a single verse. And the context—Paul raising an offering-- shows that this is the reason we can give generously. I’ll put it like this: God's gift of Jesus to us is the great precedent for our giving to others. Our greatest motivation to be generous is that Jesus has already been so generous with us.
We can break this verse down into three main ideas: what Jesus was, what Jesus did, and why Jesus did it. Then, at the end, I’ll make some observations about our own generosity.
Untold Riches
So, let’s start with what Jesus was. Paul writes:
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich...
Let's stop right there. The first part of Paul’s explanation of Christmas is where Jesus started. Jesus was rich.
Prior to His ever being born in a stable in Bethlehem, Jesus Christ existed. He was--and still is, for that matter--the second person of the Trinity. As Philippians 2 says, He was "in very nature God." He was, in every way, with and a part of the eternal, holy, sovereign, creating, magnificent Godhead. The Belgic Confession puts it like this:
He is one in essence with the Father; coeternal; the exact image of the person of the Father and the 'reflection of his glory," being in all things like him.
Now, think about that, if that was Jesus' original state, wouldn't it be proper to say that He was rich? Oh sure, maybe He wasn't rich like Elon Musk or Warren Buffet. He wasn't Swiss Bank Account or Rolls Royce or five vacation homes rich, but He had riches untold. His would be the kind of wealth that couldn't be measured by dollar figures or status symbols, the kind of wealth Bill Gates could never imagine.
Jesus was:
...eternally happy in relationship to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
...the firstborn over all creation, by whom and for whom all things were created and in whom all things hold together (Col. 1:15-18).
...the eternal recipient of worship from the angels (Heb. 1:6).
...a forever resident of heaven, which, by all accounts, is better by far than anything earth has to offer (Phil. 1:23)
...and the exact representation of the glory of God (Heb. 1:3).
He was fabulously rich. He was unimaginably rich. He was infinitely rich!
Every angel in heaven jumped at His command.
Every speck of sand on the seashore bowed in allegiance to His Will.
The wealth of heaven and earth was in His treasury.
Unfettered worship of every being in heaven was His inalienable right!
This is who Jesus was, this is what Jesus had. If we are going to talk about riches, we need to acknowledge that no one has ever had the kind of wealth possessed by Jesus.
Unimaginable Poverty
That is what Jesus was.
That's a dangerous turn of phrase, because it sort of implies that Jesus isn't rich anymore. I don't mean that, and neither did Paul. But Jesus did, in a sense, give all of that wealth up. He didn't stop being God, but He chose to set aside His majesty for us.
That's the second part of Paul's explanation of Christmas, what Jesus did:
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor.
This is what Jesus did. Jesus became poor.
Though He was in very nature God, He did not cling to His equality with God "but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness" (Phil. 2:6-7). This is the Christmas story. Jesus was God, but He chose to be conceived in human flesh and born to a young girl in pre-technological Israel. That's a serious downgrade!
Have you ever thought about becoming a cockroach? Probably not. And yet the difference between you and I and cockroaches in degree and kind is infinitely less than the difference between God and a human baby. It would be less of a stretch—less of a step down—for you or I to become an insect than for God to become a human child.
What's more, the time and the place and the family He chose to be a part of didn't even begin to parallel his previous situation in heaven.
There was nothing remotely wealthy about the time in which He lived. It wasn't prehistoric, but like I said, it was pre-technological. There were no refrigerators. No phones. No gas powered cars or jet fueled airplanes. No electricity, no printing press, no gunpowder. They barely understood how to work with iron, they'd never even imagined something as hard as steel.
What's more, Jesus didn't choose a particularly glamorous place to be born. He didn't come to the centers of civilization like Rome or Athens. Not even the Jewish capital at Jerusalem. Instead, He was born in a dungy cow pen in the tiny village of Bethlehem. Not exactly rich accommodations by anyone's standards.
His family wasn't wealthy either. His step-father had a profession, but when they presented Jesus at the temple they offered the poor man's offering of two doves and two pigeons (Luke 2:24). By the time He was an adult, Jesus lived the life of a homeless man dependent upon the kindness of others (Matt. 8:20, et al).
Jesus truly became poor. Leaving the riches of heaven for the riches of earth would have been sacrifice enough, but Jesus truly lived as the least of men on earth.
But that isn't even the extent of Jesus' poverty. In fact, it probably isn't what Paul has in mind here at all. Because more than just taking on human flesh, Jesus subjected that flesh to death. He took on the ultimate humiliation of dying on a cross (Phil. 2:9).
That's the unimaginable poverty Paul is talking about. Jesus being whipped and stripped and hung up to public ridicule as He slowly suffocated to death. Jesus being mocked and scorned and nailed to a cross beam as the lifeblood drained out of Him. Jesus--who was in very nature God--being forsaken by His Father and burdened with the punishment of all the sins of those He had come to redeem.
That's what Jesus did. He became poor. And He did it for us.
Transfer of Wealth
That’s the third part of Paul’s explanation: Why did Jesus do it? He did it for us:
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
This is what it means to us. The poverty of Jesus leads to our riches.
This is the economy of heaven. Jesus gave up His place of glory and subjected Himself to death so that we might know wealth.
Now, of course, we still aren't talking about Elon Musk or Bill Gates riches here. Jesus didn't go through all this so that we would have vacation homes or Rolex watches. Rather, we are talking about even greater riches, riches akin to the riches enjoyed by Jesus. We're talking about sonship to God and eternal homes in heaven. We're talking about forgiveness of sin and new creation. We're talking about meaning and purpose and fellowship with God.
It's a cosmic transfer of wealth. Jesus, who is eternally righteous, became sin for us so that, through Him, we might become the righteousness of God. (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21)
The Cross of Jesus Christ purchases unimaginable wealth for believers like you and me.
Though we deserve Hell, we gain Heaven!
Though we deserve condemnation, we get pardon and forgiveness.
Though we deserve wrath, we get love!
Though we deserve blame, we get glory!
Though we deserve banishment, we get God's presence!
Though we were poor, we get riches untold!
All because He became poor.
That's grace. That's God's gift to us. He gave up the riches of heaven for the poverty of death, so that we might, in turn, know the riches of salvation.
The Great Precedent
You can see how this motivates our own giving. I said earlier that the lesson of this verse is that God's gift of Jesus to us is the great precedent for our giving to others. And I chose that word, precedent, very carefully.
According to Webster's College dictionary, a precedent is: "An act or instance that may serve as an example or justification for subsequent situations." More than just an example which may or may not be followed, a precedent serves as the reason something similar will be repeated in the future.
Because God was generous with us, we can be generous with others.
So, by way of application, allow me to go through the rest of the verses in our text and make 5 observations about generosity. Here are some things for us to think about as we follow Christ’s example in giving:
- Generosity is a gift from God. The impulse to give, as well as the ability to give, are the result of God’s grace in a believer’s life. Verse 1:
1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches...
The word “grace” here means a gift. That’s what grace is: an undeserved gift. And what Paul is talking about is the Macedonian churches’ generous support of his fund-raising project. In other words, he is saying that their generosity is a gift from God. The opportunity, the ability, and the willingness to give are all a result of the working of God's grace.
This is so remarkable, I don't want you to miss it. Giving is not some distasteful obligation that must be carried out in order to keep a charity going. It is not a forced activity that we have to be cajoled and brow-beaten into carrying out. It is a great blessing that God graciously gives us the opportunity to participate in. It is a gift from Him!
At least, that's the way the Macedonians saw it. Look at the incredible words Paul uses to describe them in verse 4:
4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
When is the last time you "urgently pleaded" for the opportunity to give your money to a cause? When is the last time you thought of it as a "privilege" to put your offering in the collection plate? And yet, when you see that generosity is a gift of God, that's what you will do. You will see that you have an opportunity to participate in the things that God is doing in the world and like the Macedonians you will urgently plead for the privilege of being a part of it.
- Generosity is a result of joy. Truly Christian giving flows out of the great joy we have as followers of Jesus Christ. Verses 2 and 3:
2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.
Generosity is not just the result of having some extra cash lying around. The Bible nowhere suggests that we should give only when we are having a particularly successful year. And the first example of this is the Macedonian churches.
Look at the way Paul describes them: they are in the middle of "the most severe trial," they are experiencing "extreme poverty". Surely, they could have told Paul: "Times are kind of tough right now, maybe we will wait until next year to give." They could have taken a "poor me" attitude and begged out of this offering (in fact, you sort of get the idea that that's what Paul expected them to do, why would they have had to "urgently plead" unless Paul was telling them that perhaps they should sit this one out?) but instead, they well “up in rich generosity.” “They gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.”
Where does this come from? If they don't have extra money to give away, where do they get this incredible desire to give? The answer, Paul says, is joy. Do you see that in verse 2? It is their "overflowing joy" combined, amazingly, with their "extreme poverty" that wells up in rich generosity. It is as though, Paul is saying, they have this underground holding tank full of joy and it is so full that it is bubbling over in this great spring which rushes like a mighty river right to the feet of the suffering Christians in Jerusalem.
And where does that joy come from? Again, it is the grace of God. It is the abundant joy that comes from the cosmic transfer of wealth that took place when Jesus earned their salvation. They may not be materially rich, but they have the riches of heaven and it is out of the joy that comes from those riches that they are able to give.
- Generosity is an act of worship. Christian giving is a means of worshipping God. Verse 5:
5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and then to us in keeping with God's will.
In the Biblical model of giving, the taking up of an offering is not just a means of paying the bills. In fact, that doesn't have much to do with it at all. Meeting expenses is just a secondary effect. The first, and primary effect, is the giving of worship to God. That's what Paul means when he says the Macedonians "gave themselves first to the Lord." Before they ever gave a cent, they gave themselves. Thus, when they do give their money, it is a part of their worship of God.
This is one of the reasons the taking up of an offering is included in our weekly services of worship. When we gather as God's people to lift up the name of our Lord, we do so not only through our singing and prayers and preaching, but also through the intentional act of taking some of our earthly treasure and giving it to the work of God's church.
- Generosity is something we can improve at. Christian giving is something we can grow in. Verse 7:
7But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
The word that stands out to me here is the word "excel." In the original language, it is the same word that is translated "overflowing" when Paul is talking about the Macedonians' joy in verse 2. The sense is that the Corinthians also can overflow in their giving--that they can excel at it. That is to say, Christian giving is something they can get better at.
The point, I think, is that none of us is locked in as a giver. Whatever your giving habits are, you can grow in them. You can make it a goal to become more generous. Thus, if you don't currently give anything, you can challenge yourself to start giving something. If your giving is hit and miss, you can challenge yourself to give under a regular pattern. If you give 5% of your income, you can challenge yourself to start giving 6%. Just like you can grow and excel in your knowledge of the Lord, or in your love for the church, you can also grow and excel in your giving.
- Generosity is voluntary. Christian giving is a matter of freewill. Verse 8:
8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.
I know there is a stereotype that churches only want your money. But Paul makes it very clear: this isn’t a command. It’s not a guilt trip.
I’m with Paul here: I’m not trying to high pressure anybody into doing anything. We’re just looking at the Christian understanding of generosity: it’s a gift from God, it’s the result of joy, it’s an act of worship, it’s something you can grow in.
Jesus set the precedent at Christmas: He who was rich—with all the splendor of heaven—made Himself poor—even to the poverty of death—all so that we might enjoy the riches of salvation. God is generous with us. Christmas makes it possible for us to be generous with others.
