Sunday is the best day of the week. This is— it is a joy to gather today. We're gonna be in 2 Corinthians chapter 9. So I'd encourage you to turn there, scroll there, open God's Word. We're gonna continue to refer back to it throughout our time together this morning. So have it open in front of you. Over the last few weeks, we've been in a series on generosity, and we started kind of at the 100,000-foot view. We're blessed to be a blessing. Ricky reminded us last week that the church of God is the one institution backed by God God, he will build his church and it's worth investing in. And today we drop all the way down to the ground level where the money actually changes hands. What do we do with the things that we've talked about so far? What is the framework that God has given us for why and how we give?
So let's read God's word together. This is 2 Corinthians chapter 9 starting in verse 6. Paul says this. The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that, having all sufficiency in all things, at all times you may abound in every good work. As it is written, he has distributed freely, he has given to the poor, his righteousness endures forever. 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. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you. Because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift.
Would you pray with me this morning? Lord, may the words that stick be your words this morning. May the words written on our hearts this morning be your words. We trust you in Jesus' name. Amen.
I'm grateful for the parent— the example my parents set for me as a kid. They taught me about stewardship. They taught me about money. And they set up some categories. From the beginning, whenever I received any money, whether it was through an allowance or a job, they gave me 3 categories. The first was God's category, our first fruits. Whatever we get, the first part goes to God. The second part was long-term because God encourages good stewardship. So the second bucket was long-term. And the third bucket was mine to do with what I wanted to do with. It was the rest of the money. Now, I have to confess that these were really good and helpful categories for me. It's good. God's money is first. Then we save for the future. Then we budget the rest. These are good categories. But somewhere along the line, that third category for me became labeled fun money. Fun money was literally whatever I wanted to do. Fun money was the money I got to spend, which I'll tell you about in a minute, at the dollar store. Then somewhere along the line, that second bucket of long-term was like future fun money. Whatever I want, that's going. I could do whatever I wanted, with how I saw fit to spend it. I have to confess that the disconnect in my mind was that this little part at the beginning, that was God's money, and the rest of it was mine. As long as I gave God his part, the rest was up to me to grow and spend how I saw fit.
What I hope that we'll see today is that God has a different idea of where money comes from. And a different plan for how to steward it. Our big idea is this, and it comes from where Paul says helpfully in verse 6, the point is this: sow and reap abundantly as those changed by the gospel of grace.
The part of the text that is our focus today is the conclusion of what we have in our Bibles as a 2-chapter division, a 2-chapter encouragement. To the Corinthian church. Now, if you remember 1 Corinthians, he was not doing much encouraging, was he, in 1 Corinthians? That letter was pretty much like, hey, y'all gotta shape up. This letter, he's changing his tune. They have shaped up, they have repented, they're walking in repentance. And a year before Paul's second letter here, they had decided we need to give to God's work in Jerusalem. We need to give to the church in Jerusalem. So what Paul is doing here is encouraging them because they have been repentant, They've been generous in their desire to give to the church in Jerusalem. And so he encourages them from an unlikely place. He points to the example of the Macedonians. Don't miss this. In verse 2 of chapter 8, if you just look back at chapter 8, verse 2 says this: For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave— the Macedonians gave— according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints.
6 · Theological assertion about the nature of generosity: it is simultaneously an overflow of joy and grace, not dependent on material abundance
It's striking that Paul describes the Macedonians as giving out of both abundance of joy and extreme poverty. According to and beyond their means, willingly and excitedly, they overflowed with a wealth of generosity in this work. Paul recognizes that this is an act of grace and urges the Corinthian church not to just excel in the other gifts, which is surprising in and of itself, right? 'Cause 1 Corinthians was like, hey, you guys are misusing the gifts, careful. He's going, now you're excelling in these gifts, excel in the gift of generosity also, looking to the Macedonians as an example.
7 · Expounds 2 Corinthians 8:15 to establish God as the ultimate giver and provider, ensuring that his people have sufficiency
He takes chapter 8 to prepare the Corinthians and build them up in the Lord. Look at what he says in verse 15 of chapter 8. Verse 15 says, as it is written, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. The Lord is the giver of all things.
8 · Explains Paul's pastoral strategy in preparing the Corinthians for the collection, emphasizing that the gift must be willing, not coerced
In verse 5 of chapter 9, Paul urges the Corinthians to be stirred up with zeal and excited by the Macedonian example and encouraged them further as he explicitly sets up our text today by saying this. Verse 5 of chapter 9. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. I had to look that word up this week. Compulsion. Obligation. Oh, I guess I got to give this. Not as an exaction.
9 · Signals the beginning of the sermon's first major section, which will focus on verses 6-7 and the nature of cheerful generosity
Paul encourages the Corinthians by way of the Macedonians to sow generously and reminds them all the ways they will reap generously. So our first point today is simple: cheerful generosity. What we see in verses 6 and 7 are a cheerful generosity.
10 · Explicates Paul's agricultural metaphor in verse 6, showing how the principle of generous sowing applies to farming
In verse 6, Paul draws an explicit connection between farming and money. He says, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. That's the way that God designed a harvest to work. In everything from gardening to farming, the principle is the same. Don't be stingy with the planting. You never simply plant exactly what you need. There are just too many variables. You always have to trust the process that you can't control. When you plant seeds, you never know exactly what the harvest will look like because you can't tell the future. What you can be sure of is that if you plant 2 seeds, the odds of you losing your entire crop go up exponentially. If you abundantly seed, generously seed a prepared 2-acre field, the odds Get exponentially better that you will have a bountiful harvest. And this has been true since the beginning of time.
11 · Corrects a common misinterpretation of the sowing/reaping principle as a transactional "give to get" prosperity teaching
It's pretty much a guarantee that you've heard this verse, right? Sow a little, reap a little. Sow a lot, reap a lot. Or at least this adage. It's probable that you've also heard this verse misquoted or misapplied at times. And if you were to look at this verse just by itself, it kind of makes sense how you could misapply it. But if you look at the context before and after, it becomes pretty clear that it's way more about just giving to get. This is what the misteaching and misapplication of this verse usually boils down to: give to get. The principle of sowing and reaping bountifully is absolutely true, but look how Paul frames the sowing. Paul basically says right before this, hey, I'm not forcing anyone to give. In fact, I only want you to give if you can do it willingly as a gift. In other words, don't give out of obligation or compulsion. And then verse 7 is so counterintuitive because he basically says that giving is a matter of the heart before it's a matter of the wallet. And then he goes, oh, by the way, God loves a cheerful giver.
12 · Personal anecdote illustrating the natural human tendency to be cheerful spenders rather than cheerful givers
When I was a kid, I got a $2 allowance, which meant that first bucket was 50 cents. As long as I gave my first 50 cents to God, and then I put my second 50 cents in the bucket of long-term savings, and then that next dollar— when I tell you that I frantically searched for 7 cents in my parents' car or my house so that I could afford the tax on the $1 hockey stick at the dollar store, That dollar always burned a hole in my pocket. Always. I don't know if you can relate to that, but that's me. To this day, I find my default disposition to be that of a cheerful spender, a cheerful getter. Anybody else?
13 · Direct self-examination questions probing the listener's heart posture toward giving
I'm asking you a question that I've had to ask myself a number of times. If you were to be honest about how you were viewing giving, does it feel more like a compulsion? Does giving to you feel more like an obligation? Or does it feel like an absolute joy to give whatever God asks you to give? Have you ever seen that, the cartoon, of the duck, Scrooge McDuck, who goes off the diving board into the pile of money? First of all, that's gotta hurt. Second of all, he's pretty isolated in his life. Do you find yourself more like him? Look at my pool of money. Or do you look like this and go, man, Lord, whatever I have is yours.
14 · Signals the sermon's transition to the second major section, which will examine verses 8-11 through two interpretive questions about God's generosity
As our passage continues, we get help thankfully, and situating giving in our hearts before our wallets. I'd like us to look at 2 questions here as we look at God's generous gifts. We move to verses 8 through 11, and we first look at what are God's generous gifts, and second, what's the purpose of these gifts?
15 · Reads and begins to engage verses 8-11, emphasizing God's sufficiency and his provision for generous living
Look at verse 8 together. And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, he has distributed freely, he has given to the poor, his righteousness endures forever. 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. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
16 · Establishes the foundational theological claim of the sermon: God is the source and owner of all material wealth, not human effort or wisdom
As we look first at the generous gifts of God, let me ask another question. Where did the money in your bank account come from? Where did your rent money come from? Where did your— the ability to buy your house come from? Where did all of that money or no money in your portfolio come from? What about the house, the vacation property, the car? It's possible that the first instinct here would be to begin with what you have done. Oh, it's my job. I have walked out principles of financial stewardship. I've been wise with my money. Or not, either one. The focus, the temptation would be that we'd look inward. But the Bible is clear and helpful about vocation. The Bible is clear and helpful about stewardship. But before we get to any of that, we need to understand the source and purpose of everything we own. Everything you own has been supplied to you by God himself. Does that sound too simplistic? Let me say it again. God owns everything. Everything we have can only be attributed to the one who, looking at our text today, supplies seed to the sower and bread for food. He will supply the seed and bread. He will supply and multiply. He will increase the harvest, but why?
17 · Extended personal testimony about Vogan's own journey from the flawed "firstfruits plus fun money" paradigm to a full surrender understanding of stewardship
If we understand that God is the giver of everything we have, he's the initiator of everything we have and initiator of any increase, then we must flip young John's money paradigm on its head. It's not just the firstfruits that are his, it's all of it, including the fun money. I wish I could say that I've been living in this reality all my life, but the Lord has slowly been growing in me over decades a more clear understanding of this. Sure, I could tell you that all I have is God's. But what is— it was hard for me to truly understand what that meant. Practically, I've lived a lot of my life in a way that God— that gave God his requisite piece of my portfolio or my paycheck or whatever, and then the rest of my life was fun money, getting to spend on whatever I wanted. A couple of years ago, our pastoral team, along with pastoral teams from all over our West region of Sovereign Grace Churches, went through a retreat called Journey of Generosity. Now, I want you to know 2 things: that the Lord is kind, and he says God's kindness leads us to repentance, and Hebrews 12 said God's discipline— God disciplines those he loves. So I experienced the gracious discipline of the Lord on this retreat. During this retreat, the Lord in his kindness helped me understand that I had been viewing financial stewardship wrongly for a long time. It was that march in California that I realized that God didn't just get the first part of my paycheck. It was all his. In fact, my job wasn't to steward my money at all. It was and is to steward God's money. It's all his. So practically, the question for me has had to go from, God, I think I have this much to give, to, God, it's all yours. What would you like to do with it?
18 · Answers the second interpretive question by establishing that recognizing God's ownership liberates Christians from financial anxiety and enables joyful stewardship
This brings us to our second question: What's the purpose of any gift the Lord gives? When we acknowledge that the source of all we have, that the owner of all we have, is God himself, we are actually free to stop worrying about so many things related to finances because the source and giver of all we have is God himself. Stewardship is important. But when we remember that God is the one we're stewarding for and that he promised us to supply our every need, then we can be good stewards from a place of joy and freedom rather than anxiety.
19 · Anticipates and answers the objection that generosity is only for the wealthy by returning to the Macedonian example
Now, I want to pause for a minute and ask another question. Is generosity only for wealthy people? Is generosity only for people with extra money? Remember the example of the Macedonians from earlier. This is God's example. Chapter 2, verse 8, he says, for in a severe test of affliction, their— the Macedonian— abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, and as I can testify, and beyond their means. Of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints. I'm going to read verse 5 too. And this not as we expected, I love that, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
20 · Direct pastoral encouragement to those in financial difficulty, assuring them that generosity is about heart posture, not dollar amounts
It was surprising to Paul, it seems, the generosity of the Macedonians. Maybe you find you're in a place of financial challenge. Maybe you find that you're fighting your way out of debt. Maybe you're paying for your kids to go to college. Maybe you're knee-deep in medical bills. Maybe you're down to the penny on your budget. Can I encourage you, don't be discouraged here. Look to the example of the Macedonians. It's not about the number. It's the cheerful heart shaped by the grace of God. To partake in the work of God.
21 · Establishes the purpose of material increase: not retirement security or wealth accumulation, but increased capacity for kingdom work and thanksgiving
He's the supplier of the seed. The purpose of any increase in money or abundance is an increase of what? Righteousness. That's what the text says. You'll be enriched in every way to be generous in every way. This will produce thanksgiving to God. The purpose of any increase in wealth is an increased ability for kingdom work and an increased measure of thanksgiving to God. Now, in the world of financial literacy, the goal is often a big stockpile, isn't it? The goal is often like, I'm going to save for retirement and have a comfortable retirement. And these are not bad categories. If you read about financial literacy in Scripture— one, don't look to any other book first. Look to Scripture first. It supplies all you need. You will see it is good to save. It is good to steward for the future because you're not stewarding your own money. You are stewarding God's money. But while these are great stewardship categories and must be considered, what if the whole point of money for a Christian was to be open and free to serve the Lord in any way whenever he calls?
22 · Personal anecdote about encountering a provocative advertising message that embodies the worldly philosophy of wealth acquisition for personal comfort and status
Notice the second half of verse 11 here. The product of any abundance is twofold. It's the ability to be generous on every occasion and thanksgiving to God. In a sense, this is a give-to-get kind of thing, but the thing we get isn't accolades, it's not awards, it's not pats on the back. We get freedom to take— partake in God's generous purposes and freedom to be thankful to God for everything he's given. Now, Ash and I were in a particular city in Arizona over the summer that shall go unnamed, and we were walking around with the kids And we were in this beautiful outdoor mall, and it was awesome. And we walk past, and we see this sign out of the corner of our eye. And we like look back. You could almost miss it because it was so simple. And the caption said this, your husband works too hard for you to have an ugly kitchen.
23 · Contrasts worldly and biblical philosophies of wealth ownership, then issues a pastoral warning about lifestyle creep and the temptations that accompany abundance
Huh. Now, I love to cook. I really do. And I have dreams for my kitchen one day. I do. But if this is not the opposite of our text in a sentence, I don't know what is. The world says your money is for you. God says money— God says his money is for him. So a warning: with abundance comes the freedom to be generous at any time and any occasion, but there's a challenge that comes with lifestyle creep. It's real. The feeling of having to keep up with the Joneses, to keep up a particular appearance, is real. The unwillingness to let go of whatever wealth we perceive to be ours is real. There's a real need to ask the Lord to guard our hearts against selfishness when we find ourselves in a season of abundance.
24 · Shifts the focus from the subjective benefits of generosity to its ultimate telos: God's glory
Open, free, and cheerful giving does produce in us good things. It feels good to be able to provide for the needs of the Saints. It's amazing to see God's work accomplished through the stewardship of his resources. God says he's the giver of the increase, but we must not stop at what we get or experience. We need to focus on what is the fruit of true cheerful generosity. This is about who gets the glory, who gets the praise, who gets the recognition for any generous giving.
25 · Expounds verses 12-15 to show that generosity's ultimate fruit is thanksgiving and glory directed to God, not the giver
Verse 12 through 15 shows us what this gospel fruit is. I want us to notice as we finish this passage that all we've talked about has been pointing to a conclusion in the gospel itself. The whole point of Paul talking so explicitly and specifically about cheerful generosity is to point to it as an overflow from and a witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's to point to the good news. For the ministry of this service, verse 12 says, is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your— what? Confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift. It's like Paul knows the tendency of my heart. When I read verse 12, I often wish that it would end like this, but is also flowing, overflowing in many thanksgivings to Me? But supplying for the needs of the saints produces thanksgiving to the only one worthy of any praise, God himself.
26 · Presents the gospel as the foundation and model for all Christian generosity
In order to fully grasp what Paul is saying here, we want to pause and look at the radical generosity of God himself. The gospel, the good news, is Paul's anchor for his encouragement here. The reality of life is that we are all spiritually dead. We're not just spiritually impoverished, we are spiritually dead apart from Christ. We are separated from God by our sin. We are without hope. We are deserving of hell. We are running headlong away from God. Make no mistake about it. But God himself, Jesus the Son, out of his great love for his people, became obedient to death Even death on a cross, as the Scriptures say, for who? Us. Because of his willing, obedient, sacrificial death on our behalf, because of his generous grace and love for us, we have the opportunity to be made new. Hebrews 12 begins by saying it was for the joy set before him He endured the cross for you and for me. It was Jesus' joyful sacrifice of himself that we can be new creations. It is through Jesus' joyful sacrifice that we can be reconciled to God through his work, not our own. Isn't that good news? This is the anchor of Paul's argument. It always comes back to this for Paul.
27 · Evangelistic appeal to those not yet in Christ, presenting the gospel as God's ultimate act of generosity and inviting response
If you've not been changed by Jesus, Yet, can I encourage you, come now. Repent and be saved. Walk in a manner worthy of your calling. God is gracious and merciful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Trust in Jesus with your whole heart and you will be saved. Romans 5 calls this the free gift of God. How much more generous does it get? Death to life for free for you. Through the blood of Jesus, which was the price of your life. That's radical generosity.
28 · Signals the shift to extended practical application, emphasizing that gospel truth must translate into concrete financial decisions
Now let's let Paul's anchor be our anchor today. With our anchor in the gospel, I want to turn to some practical application of this. I told you we'd— the rubber would meet the road here. This is where money exchanges hands. So let's talk about some practical applications of this.
29 · Distinguishes gospel-motivated generosity from charity and philanthropy, which may serve good ends but often center human glory
I want to first draw a distinction between the categories of charity and philanthropy and gospel generosity. Defining terms: charity can be a helpful short-term help for someone or a group of people, relieving an immediate need. Philanthropy can be a real answer to longstanding or systemic problems. It can revitalize cities or countries when done thoughtfully. Both of those things are incentivized by things like tax breaks, names on buildings, awards, other things. And at the end of the day, I'm not saying that these aren't good things. I actually think it's a good thing to participate in charity and philanthropy as you're able. But I am saying that if we are not careful, those things can become a reflection of the glory of us rather than the glory of God.
30 · Extended analogy using sand sculptures to illustrate the temporal nature of all human achievements, including charity and philanthropy, setting up the church's eternal nature as the contrast
I remember the first time I saw people crafting sand sculptures. Have you ever been to the beach and seen sand sculptures? They had all sorts of tools and were working with sand in ways that I had never seen. I had my, like, big plastic shovel and little plastic bucket, you know, and I was like, I'd fill up the bucket with sand and some water and then I'd make those, like, muddy drip castles. You know what I'm talking about? These people made, like, sea turtles and seals and castles that looked like you could live in them. Here's the thing, they were really impressive for a day or two, but every time, without fail, the tide would come in and you'd walk by the next day to a pile of sand on a beach. Every charity and philanthropic endeavor will one day, even if they outlast our lifetime, every one will end up a pile of sand on a beach. Except for one.
31 · Establishes the church as the eternal object worthy of Christian generosity because it alone will endure
Gospel generosity is motivated and built on a foundation that will never crumble, a truth that will never die, a light that will never fade. Generosity for a Christian is motivated and completely enabled by the life-changing grace of God himself through Christ. The target for a Christian is to see where the Lord is working and then partner with him in it. Last week Ricky reminded us so helpfully that the church is the only global body that is guaranteed to continue until Christ comes back, and we are united for him— to him for eternity at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
32 · Anticipates the Jeremiah 29 objection about seeking the city's good and resolves it by establishing the church as the epicenter of generosity with concentric ripples outward
Now remember, Paul's tone here is encouragement. It's building up of the church. So let's seek to follow him in this. Throughout the scriptures, we see that obedience to the Lord results in freedom and good for his people. In this case, submission to the Lord in our giving is a result of our confession of the gospel of Christ and results in praise. The Macedonians and Corinthians weren't into building sandcastles. They were into building up the church in Jerusalem, and they were amped up about it. You might think— you may right now think of, what about Jeremiah 29? Doesn't it tell us to seek the good of the city? Absolutely it does. Seek the good of the city. Be generous to the city. It is good and right. But what we're talking about is that the epicenter of cheerful generosity for the Christian is the church of God, and everything else ripples out from that. This is building in light of an eternal hope.
33 · Summarizes the sermon's theological core: generosity is both evidence of gospel transformation and participation in eternal realities
We can confidently say that the mark of a life changed by the grace of God in Christ is is a joyful generosity toward the things God is building. Generosity— generous sowing results in abundant reaping of eternal consequence. Now, put simply, generosity is an overflow of God's grace in the life of a Christian.
34 · Returns to the Journey of Generosity retreat as narrative frame, setting up the Barnhart story by describing the emotional and spiritual state in which Vogan encountered it
As we close here, we start to wrap up, I want to tell you that a strange thing happened a couple years ago at the end of that journey of generosity. That particular retreat ends with 30 minutes of silent reflection on the scriptures and topics of the weekend in order to get before the Lord and hear clearly from him. Now, my mind had been blown. I felt kind of small in a lot of ways. My paradigms had shifted. I'd felt admonished, disciplined by the Lord. I'd reflected on opportunities wasted, ways that I'd not stewarded the Lord's money well with my family. But I also heard story after story of people who had been confronted by these same truths, and I was invited into the joy that is cheerful giving as a Christian. I was so hyped up by seeing these people so fully committed to the Lord, particularly in the area of generosity, but I was also shell-shocked going into that 30 minutes of silence before the Lord. There's one story in particular that I regularly reflect on, and I was reminded of it again.
35 · Extended historical example of radical generosity via the Barnhart family, who gave away a $400 million company
If you've driven on the west side, that I-10 Artcraft interchange, there was— at least there has been— a crane that's red that says Barnhart in big white letters. You may or may not know the story of Alan and Catherine Barnhart, but it would be worth looking up. Truly, go look it up. Not now, but later. I'm gonna sum it up this way. Randy Alcorn, the author, sums up their story this way: Alan and his brother Eric and their families decided to give 100% of their highly successful business to charity to keep wealth from taking over their lives. About 50% of all company earnings are donated immediately to charity. The remaining 50% is used to grow the business. In 2007, they gave the entire company to National Christian Foundation. Though they still run its daily operations, the brothers will never reap what is accrued— its accrued value because they kept none of it. Alan and his wife Catherine have 6 children and reside in Tennessee. And in case you were wondering what the size of this company is, when they gave the company away in 2007, it was valued at over $400 million. To date, hundreds of millions of dollars have been given to gospel ministry in the church, local and global, and the global impact has been immeasurable. Part of their story is that they had a desire to go to unreached people groups and preach the gospel, and the Lord reoriented their lives and said, you're going to to take over this business. They were sad about that at first, but now look at the exponential impact the Lord has done through them as a result of their faithfulness in this area.
36 · Redirects the glory from the Barnharts to God, preventing the illustration from becoming a human-centered success story
It would be easy to look and say, like, look at how amazing the Barnharts are. But the deeper you dig into their story, it's hard not to have a response other than, wow, look at how amazing God is. Look at what God has done.
37 · Concludes the retreat narrative by describing the transformation that resulted: from condemnation to peace, from scarcity thinking to open-handed surrender
At the end of my 30 minutes of silence, I could have come away feeling pretty down or condemned for the ways that I fell short. Instead, I came away with pages of notes and a sense of peace that I don't know that I've ever felt before. There's a freedom from moving from, Lord, how much can we afford to give you? To, Lord, it's all yours. Where do you want this to go? Over the last 2 years, the Lord has been doing, let me emphasize that, has been doing a work in my heart and in our marriage that is ongoing in this area, truly. But what a joy it is to try to walk in obedience and regularly thank God for his inexpressible gift.
38 · Transition to concrete application, framing conviction as God's kindness rather than condemnation
So what now? My hope for this message is truly that you would feel built up, but I don't wanna ignore what the Lord might be pressing on in your hearts, because that is a kindness of the Lord. If the Lord might be pressing on anything in your hearts, don't ignore that. Listen to the Lord and be encouraged to be a generous Christ follower in this area.
39 · Clarifies what the sermon is NOT saying to prevent legalistic misapplication
I want you to notice something. I have not said anything today about not being able to have nice things. What I have not told you is don't buy the nice car. What I have not told you is don't buy the nice purse. What I have not told you is don't buy the big house or get the expensive— don't get the expensive membership. What I said is the ability to do any of those things didn't come from you. So are you willing to put it all before the Lord? Are you willing, however much or little that is, to write the Lord a blank check with your life and your wallet and then cheerfully go, it's all yours, Lord? What if the Lord is after our hearts? Let me rephrase that. The Lord is after our hearts.
40 · Provides two concrete action steps: regular thanksgiving and submitting one's budget to the Lord
So here's a few practical steps to get us down that line. I'm going to give you a couple of things. Get out a sheet of paper or your notes app, something. If you're not a note-taker, can I encourage you to take notes in just a minute on one particular practical exercise? I'll tell you when to start writing. But first, first, regularly thank God for his generous gifts. First, the gift of his Son and salvation. Second, whatever he has seen fit to give you to steward. Second, put your budget before the Lord regularly. Submit it to him and ask him what he wants you to do with his resources. Whether you find yourself in a situation like the Macedonians— poverty, not a lot of stuff— Or like many of the Corinthians that Paul was talking to, receivers of significant abundance, all of what you have is the Lord's. So let's seek to be cheerfully generous with what he's given, whatever this looks like. Abundant generosity is the goal for every Christian. It's not a specific amount, it's a matter of the heart and to be done with joy.
41 · Detailed, step-by-step guided reflection exercise designed to lead listeners through confession, gratitude, and surrender
So now I'm gonna give you a practical exercise. And Kathy was so helpful, as so many people are usually. I know I'm a fast talker and I'm regularly very caffeinated. So I'm going to slow down so you can write these things down. I'd encourage you to do this this week. 30 to 60 minutes is all this will take, which I know is a lot in some schedules. But take 30 to 60 minutes with this text, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, and a notebook. If you're married, do this separately and then come together and see what the Lord has done in each of your lives. Step 1, sit in silence before the Lord. Just sit there. Oh, nice, Kathy. Thank you. Quiet your heart before the Lord. Quiet your mind. Ask him to free it of all distractions. Then step 2, thank God for being the giver of all good gifts. Especially the gift of salvation through Christ. Next, thank God for his specific provision in your life. This is not just financial. Go back through your life and go, Lord, where have you provided me? Where have you provided for me? Where have I seen your faithfulness in my life? If you are in Christ, that's a list, and there's something that'll populate that list. Then sit in silence. Just be silent before the Lord. In each of these silent times, if the Lord brings something up, write it down. Then ask the Lord to reveal any ways that you're being selfish in the way that you view your finances, possessions, anything you have, your life. First, sit in silence. Second, thank God for being the giver of all good gifts, especially the gift of salvation through Jesus. Third, thank God for his specific provision in your life. Fourth, silence. Fifth, ask him to reveal any ways that you're being selfish in the way you view your finances or possessions. Next, silence. You notice a pattern here? It's the habit of listening. Ask the Lord to reveal any areas you're being reluctant or feeling like you're giving under compulsion. Where do you look like Scrooge at the beginning of A Christmas Carol rather than Scrooge at the end of A Christmas Carol? Then be silent. Next, repent of any sin. Be specific. There is freedom in specifically repenting of sin to the Lord. He knows it all already. It doesn't just have to be in the area of finances. Anywhere. Just repent of sin. Be specific. Thank him for his forgiveness. And then ask him to give you a cheerful heart of generosity. Ask him to show you where you might be called to be generous. Write it all down so you can look back at it, you can remember it. Thank God again for being the giver of all good gifts.
42 · Clarifies that the exercise is not mechanically effective but a tool for cultivating surrender
There's nothing magic about this exercise. There's nothing that is specifically great about these particular questions. The thing that I'm encouraging you to do is go like this with whatever you have, how much or little, and say, Lord, I trust you with all of it because it's yours. Help me to do with it what you want me to do with it. This is an exercise of peeling our hands open. And sitting before the Lord.
43 · Bookends the sermon by returning to the primary text's opening verses, reinforcing the central theological claims and inviting the congregation to stand in affirmation
So let's end as we began, the words of God through the Apostle Paul, starting in verse 6 of chapter 9. Would you stand as we read God's Word? We trust, Lord, that this is true and trust you to write it on our hearts. The point is this: Whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound and every good work.
44 · Closing prayer asking God to apply the sermon's truth, emphasizing encouragement over condemnation while still inviting correction
Let's pray. Heavenly Father, these are your words. Write them on our hearts. Lord, would you gently and kindly admonish where necessary? But Lord, I pray more than that, you would encourage us, fan into flame the gospel gift that we have. Help us to peel open our hands and say all that we have is yours You are the giver. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.