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Grace Motivates Generosity (2 Corinthians 8:1-15)

Scott Kercheville
12/14/14 - Sun AM

• God’s grace worked in Macedonia (8:1-7)
• God’s grace was given by Jesus’ poverty (8:8-11)
  • Ephesians 2:12–13, “Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
  • We only fail to be motivated to be generous when we stop meditating on and praising Christ for his sacrifice that afforded us grace.
• Give according to what you have as a matter of fairness (8:11-15)
  • There some who would take advantage of generosity. Paul would not encourage benevolence towards these who refuse to work (See 2nd Thessalonians 3:10–12, “… If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”).
  • Though we do well in these things, we can strive to do even better (See 1st Thessalonians 4:9–10, “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more…”).