Message

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Rich in Christ

(Who is the true rich?)

2 Corinthians 8:1-15

Key Verse: 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

It is not too much to say that the theme of 2 Corinthians is the comfort of God through reconciliation. Paul was comforted when he was reconciled to the Corinthian Church. Especially he was greatly comforted and rejoiced when he heard about the repentance of the church through Titus’ report. In the previous chapter we learned Paul’s joy and confidence over the church’s repentance. He had confidence in the church’s spiritual progress and maturity. With this confidence and hope Paul now urges them to complete the act of giving. Through this chapter we learn about the meaning of offering and what the right attitude toward offering is.

First, the characteristics of the offering of the Macedonian churches (1-5) Look at verse 1. “And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.” It was the end of Paul’s third mission trip while Paul was staying in Macedonia. Paul was about to go back to Jerusalem and on the way to stop by the Corinthian Church to collect the contribution which they had promised for the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem Church. During the reign of Claudius, there was a great famine in the land of Judea. (Ac 11:28) Paul wanted to collect contributions, relief funds, from the gentile churches and to bring them to Jerusalem. There were two main reasons for Paul’s plan for the contribution. First is to help the suffering believers in Jerusalem Church. Second is to make a unity between Jerusalem Church and the Gentile churches. So, Paul asked the churches in Macedonia and Corinth to join this relief plan. Here, the Macedonian Churches were Philippian, Thessalonian, and Berean Church.

Paul praised these churches’ contribution. Why did Paul praise them and what made their offerings special? Their offering teaches us what kind of attitude we must have toward offering and contribution. First, they offered beyond their ability amid extreme poverty. Look at verses 2-3a. “In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,” Unlike the churches in Corinth and Ephesus, which were rich business cites, the churches in Macedonia were poor. Even today Macedonia is known as one of the poorest countries in Europe. The poor in need are generally self-centered and dependent. But the Macedonian churches were different. They offered contributions to Jerusalem church beyond their ability during their extreme poverty. Jesus blessed the poor widow’s offering who put in two small copper coins, and Jesus valued her offering more than the rich men’s because she out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on. (Mk 12:43-44)

How could they do so? They did so because they believed that all things came from God. They believed that their job, their health, their income, and all things even their lives came from God. This is true. All things we enjoy and all things which we think belong to us came from God. All things came to us by the grace of God. We live only by God’s grace. So, Paul describes this as ‘the grace God has given the Macedonian churches’ in verse 1, and he calls the offering as ‘this act of grace’ in verse 6, ‘this grace of giving’ in verse 7, and ‘the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,” in verse 9. He emphasized God’s grace by repeating it.

Second, the Macedonian offered beyond their ability during the poverty because they knew the value of the privilege of sharing. Look at verse 4. “They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.” Some people may think that sharing is losing because their portion is reduced by sharing. But the Macedonians didn’t think so. They thought that sharing is a blessing, not losing. They believed that sharing is a privilege to participate in the work of God. They knew the value of God’s blessing. This is why they pleaded for the privilege of sharing with the poorer people than them. When a woman broke her alabaster jar and poured the expensive perfume on Jesus’ head, his disciples became indignant and blamed her thinking that she wasted money. But Jesus blessed her act of devotion. Jesus asked his disciples to remember her devotion wherever the gospel is preached. To the eyes of Jesus, she did not waste perfume. To his eyes she did a beautiful thing for him. This is because she valued the spiritual blessing more than money. (Mk 14:1-9)

Third, they gave themselves first of all to the Lord. Look at verse 5. “And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.” Contribution is not an offering to God, but a relief fund for poor brothers and sisters in the church. The Macedonian collected their contribution as if they offered to God. They gave themselves first to the Lord. They offered beyond their ability because they devoted themselves to the Lord. In Genesis God accepted Abel and his offering but rejected Cain and his offering. Notice the fact that God accepted Abel first and then his offering because Abel gave himself first to God. In fact, according to Jesus, helping the poor in the Lord is the same as offering to God. In the parable of sheep and goat in Matthew’s gospel, the King replied to the righteous who gave water to the thirsty and gave food to the hungry in Jesus’ name, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Mt 25:40)

Second, complete the grace of giving (6-12) Now Paul urged the Corinthian church to complete their contribution as they had promised. Look at verses 6-7. “So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” In these verses we learn that the Corinthian church promised to give contributions for the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem Church. However, while they were struggling with their own problems in and out, they forgot their promise. According to Paul, they were excellent in all aspects of their lives as Christians such as in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in earnestness and in love. Now the time has come for them to prove their genuine love for their brothers and sisters by keeping their promise of contribution. Money is always a testing stone for our faith. I mean that our faith is often tested by the love of money. Jesus said that we cannot serve both God and Money. (Mt 6:24) When we love money, we cannot give offering to God or contribution for others. Now, the Corinthians face a test for their faith because of the contribution. So, Paul urged them to pass the test by completing their contribution. Look at verse 8. “I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.”

In order to encourage them Paul reminds them of Jesus who sacrificed himself for the sake of the world. Look at verse 9. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” Paul reminds them of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ which was given to them. Indeed, all things came from the Lord, and we enjoy and live only by his grace. What did Jesus do for us? He was rich, but he became poor for us. He is the Creator God, the owner of the whole universe. He is the heir of the heavenly kingdom and king of kings and Lord of lords. But in order to save us he was born as a baby in a manger from a poor family in one of the poorest countries in the world. He gave everything to us. He did not spare even a drop of water and blood for himself but poured out all the things for us on the cross. Through his poverty we became rich. Through his death we have new life. Through his selflessness we possess the kingdom of heaven. Praise Jesus!

Who is the true rich man in this world? Bill Gates? Elon Musk? This world recognizes them as the richest in the world. But God does not think so. To the eyes of God, the truly rich men in this world are those who possess eternal life and inherit the kingdom of heaven. Jesus asks us, ‘What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for his soul?” (Mk 8:36,37) Indeed money comes in and goes out. You die before you use all your money in your saving account. So, our real treasure is eternal life in the kingdom of heaven. In the parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus warns those who store up things for themselves, but is not rich toward God. (Lk 12:21) There was a rich man who said to himself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. ‘Take life easy, eat, drink and be merry.” “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” (Lk 12:19-20) According to this parable, the Macedonians were truly rich. They gave everything to the poor beyond their ability in the midst of extreme poverty as they gave all the things to the Lord. They were willing to give because they possessed the kingdom of heaven which is greater value than earthly wealth. When they gave, they became rich. Their joy of giving became double when they shared. God filled their hearts with the fruits of the Holy Spirit such as love, joy, peace, thanks, and so on. It is true when Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Ac 20:35) The more we give, the more we become happy. The more we give, the more we receive. In chapter 9 Paul concludes that the goal and fruits of generous giving is to give thanks to God and praise his name. (9:11,12,13)

Third, the goal is equality. (13-15) There is a picture of beautiful fellowship (koinonia) among the early church written in the book of Acts. It says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer...All the believers were together and had everything in common...” (Ac 2:42,44) In the early church there were not ‘mine’ or ‘yours’, but all ‘ours’. They shared everything together as the same family members in Christ. There were no poor or rich among them because they all shared together. Paul draws the same picture in his mind between the gentile churches and Jerusalem church. Paul hoped ‘equality in Christ among brothers and sisters, among the gentiles and the Jew. Now look at verses 13-15. “Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” (13-15) Paul saw the churches of God with the eyes of a father. To the eyes of a father some children live richly while others live poor. As a compassionate father Paul wants the rich Corinthians to support the poor Jews in Jerusalem Church. In Romans 15:27 Paul explained that it is right for those who received spiritual blessing to share material blessings with those who gave them spiritual blessing. He quoted Exodus 16:18 to explain the equality of God’s blessing. When God gave manna to the Israelites in the wilderness, he commanded his people that everyone must take as much as they need. God gave them manna equal each day as much as they need. (Ex 16:16-20)

In conclusion we learn about the right attitude toward offering and contribution through the Macedonian church. We must remember that all things came from God. Because we received freely, we must give freely, too. Above all, remember our Lord Jesus who became poor to make us rich. We are rich in Christ and through Christ. Let us share what we have with those who do not have so that our generosity may spread and produce the fruits of giving and loving! Amen!

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