The Grace of Giving

                                                 THE GRACE OF GIVING

Christian leader Gordon MacDonald shared the following story about how God transformed him from "giving as merely an institutional obligation" to a cheerful giver. The process began when my wife, Gail, and I made a mission trip to West Africa. On the first Sunday of our visit, we joined a large crowd of desperately poor Christians for worship.

As we neared the church, I noticed that almost every person was carrying something. Some hoisted cages of noisy chickens, others took baskets of yams, and others had bags of eggs or cassava paste. "Why are they bringing all that stuff?" I asked one of our hosts.

"Watch!" she said. Almost every person in that African congregation brought something: a chicken, a basket of yams, or a bowl of cassava paste. I saw that giving, whether yams or dollars, is not optional for Christ's followers. Soon after the worship began, the moment came when everyone stood and poured into the aisles, singing, clapping, and even shouting.

The people started moving forward with what they brought to a space in the front. Then I got it. This was West African offering time. The chickens would help others get a tiny farm business started. The yams and the eggs could be sold in the marketplace to help the needy. The cassava paste would guarantee that someone hungry could eat. I was captivated.

I'd never seen a joyful offering before. My keep-money-under-the-radar policy would not have worked in that West African church. Those African believers, although they never knew it, had moved me. I understood that giving—whether yams or dollars—was not an option for Christ-followers. Instead, it was an indication of the direction and the tenor of one's whole life."[1] Today we will learn about the believers in the 1^st-century Macedonia region. The Apostle Paul used them to teach the Corinthian Christians and us a few lessons on the Grace of Giving.

I. What do we know about the first-century Macedonian Christians?

We have been drawing lessons from Corinthian Church for the past several weeks. In this passage, Paul uses the example of Macedonian churches to teach them a lesson on giving. What do we know about the Macedonian Christians? Responding to a vision of a man from Macedonia in Northern Greece, Paul preaches the Good News in that region. (Acts 16:9).

As a result, three Churches were established in Philippi, Berea, and Thessalonica. Paul wanted the Corinthian believers to know that God's grace motivated Macedonian churches' generosity. Macedonia was an impoverished province that many wars had ravaged. It was plundered by Roman authority and commerce. Christians were persecuted and lived in abject poverty. Yet the believers in those churches displayed a beautiful spirit of generosity.   

II. The poor Christians yet were rich in giving.

Vs.2 "They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which overflowed in rich generosity." This verse is paradoxical. How could poor people be rich in generosity and the troubled be filled with exceeding joy?

When those who make $100,000 yearly give $100 to charity is no big deal, but when someone who lives on food stamps makes such a donation, it is admirable. That was what the Macedonian Christians were doing. Their circumstances did not control their giving.

We see some unusual practices of giving among the churches in Macedonia. They gave what they could afford and beyond. We do not often see such qualities displayed by Christians of our time. They repeatedly begged the apostles for the privilege of sharing the gift with the believers in Jerusalem. From Acts 11:27-30, we learn about a severe famine that occurred during the reign of Claudius in the entire Roman province. The Macedonian believers and others gave as much as possible and beyond their ability to help the poor saints in Jerusalem.

Macedonian believers saw it not only as a privilege but an obligation. Romans 15:26-27 "For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially."

III. What made the Macedonian Christians excel in joy and giving?

Vs. 5. "They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do." They exceeded the apostle's expectations. What contributed to Macedonian's joy and outlandish giving? They first gave themselves to God and then gave themselves to serve the needs of God's people.

When we give ourselves totally to God first, something happens in us. We will recognize that all we have, and all we are, belongs to God. We say He is the Lord of all my life, including my checkbook. How many believers today are willingly saying that to the Lord?

When we serve God and the needs of God's people, God will meet our needs in return. Philippians 4:15-19 "As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent help more than once. I do not say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.

At the moment, I have all I need and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." The principle at work here is, "The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." Prov 11:25.

III. The Grace of Giving (Vs. 6-7)

            It looked like the Corinthian Church was doing well in its scripture knowledge, faith, love for the apostles, and enthusiasm. They also have a lot of gifted speakers but may be lacking in the area of generous giving. Hence Paul appealed to them to grow in the grace of giving.

            Why is giving associated with grace? One of the earliest revelations of God to Moses was that He was full of love and grace. (Ex 34:6) God's love and grace motivate him to give. John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave his son. Romans 12:6 reads, "In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well."

            How does grace-giving practically work out in our lives today? First, we don't give out of compulsion and guilt. No, one is commanding us to give, but we give out of our love for God and others. Secondly, we give not out of compulsion but out of our free will. Thirdly, we give not grudgingly but cheerfully. Each one will decide what to give in their hearts.

Two primary ways of giving are mentioned in the Bible: Tithes and free will offerings. According to Smith's Bible Dictionary, a "Tithe" or tenth is the proportion of property devoted to religious uses from very early times. Tithing first appeared in the Bible when Abraham gave one-tenth of the spoils of war to Melchizedek, the priest-king of Salem (Gen 14:18-20).

As we give 10% of our income to the local church, we use that to maintain this facility to have a place to worship. It helps pay the salaries, provides for the poor, and supports our local missions and missionaries so that the Gospel will continue to be preached.

In addition to tithing, whatever we give, amounts to free-will offerings, like towards the Deacons fund or to meet a specific need or cause. It is not how much we give but how we give matters to God. When we give with eagerness, it is acceptable to God. Giving helps us overcome selfishness, greed, and discontentment. Therefore, let us excel in this grace of giving.     

 

 

 

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[1] Gordon MacDonald, "Transforming Scrooge," Leadership Journal (Summer 2013)

Restoring Broken Relationships

                                       RESTORING BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships are a gift from God. They are also very fragile, and they can be easily broken. We enjoy the blessings of a good and harmonious relationship and feel the pain of a broken relationship. Nothing is more devastating to individuals than having broken relationships.

. In the 17^th century, the English Poet John Donne noted, "No man is an island, entire of himself; every man is a piece of the continent." I agree because God has created us for relationships, and He delights in the right relationships. However, in this highly individualized society, it is a challenge to cultivate healthy relationships and navigate difficult ones.

We see unhealthy relationships in the first family in the garden of Eden. The Bible contains examples of broken people living in a broken world, dealing with broken relationships, and how God restores broken relationships. We have dealt with heavy theological doctrines for several weeks from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians.

Today we will look at some practical advice from Paul on restoring broken relationships. Before that, we want to look at what causes broken relationships. How do we recognize if our relationship is broken? How can we restore our broken relationships? II Corinthians 7:1-16.

Among all relationships, the marital relationship needs more work from both sides. If your marriage is healthy, you enjoy its blessings. When it breaks apart, it hurts everyone involved.

I. A few warning signs indicate your marriage may be falling apart.

Here is a list of warning signs worth noticing: "You feel lonely in your marriage. You do not feel safe talking about finances together. You prefer the company of others more than being together with your spouse. You get mildly irritated about a lot of little things your spouse does. You do not celebrate special days (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) anymore. You subconsciously keep track of past wrongs. You do not have much to talk about with each other.

You have the same argument repeatedly with no resolution. It feels physically wrong to be together (no sexual intimacy). You keep secrets. Trust is low. You have stopped having date nights. You feel resentful about what your spouse isn't doing. You blame your schedules for your inability to work as a team. You pay more attention to your phone than to your spouse. Etc.[1]

If your marriage is failing before it takes an irreversible turn, cry out to God for help and seek marriage counseling. Healthy marriages do not happen by default; they happen by design. More than any other apostle, the apostle Paul cared for the right relationships. In II Corinthians 7^th chapter, Paul gives us a couple of principles that could help restore broken relationships.

II. God's promises call us to live together in harmony with one another (Vs. 1-4)

            After dealing with some profound theological and doctrinal themes in the previous six chapters, in chapter seven, Paul shares his anguish over broken relationships and the joys when those relationships are restored. How do you know you are in a broken relationship? When we obey God and do not live according to the patterns of this world, God has promised to be in us, with us, and among us. In a personal way, God will be our father, and we will be His sons and daughters. In other words, we will become God's family.

Therefore, we cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles our bodies and spirit. We work towards complete holiness because we fear God. Nothing disturbs the peace in and among us more than broken relationships. Paul was deprived of peace and felt betrayed when some Corinthian Church believers closed their hearts against him.

Paul was so committed to relationships that he told them, "You are in our hearts, and we live or die together with you." Yet some believers fought him relentlessly. Let us hear his anguish. Vs. 5-6, "When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us.

We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus."

What made Paul restless? Why did he come to Macedonia? We read in chapter two that Paul wrote a letter to Corinthian believers addressing several problems that disturbed the peace.

He intended to find out whether they would follow his instructions or not. After that, he came to Troas to preach the Good News but had no peace of mind because his dear brother Titus had not arrived with a report from the Corinthians, so he went to Macedonia in search of Titus. Paul was discouraged by conflicts and strife with people on all sides. Amid such restlessness, God encouraged him by sending Titus with a good report.

Titus's presence brought him so much joy, as did the encouraging news about the Corinthian believers and how they received and treated Titus. The eagerness of the Corinthian believers to see Paul and their repentance of their rebellion against Paul, and their loyalty to him only added more joy to the otherwise discouraged Paul. What once was broken is now restored.

III. Restoring Broken Relationships. (Vs.7-16)

            In verses seven through sixteen, we glean several principles of how broken relationships could be restored, resulting in harmony and joy. These principles could be applied to any broken relationship, even more so to broken marital and family relationships.

A. Confront the problem head-on without ignoring or avoiding it. (8-9)

After Paul's painful visit, some powerful insult had been directed against him or one of his representatives by a visitor to Corinth or a Corinthian, who perhaps headed the opposition against Paul at Corinth. Despite his love for the Corinthian believers, some of them hardened their hearts against Paul. He confronted that situation by writing them a severe letter. Though it caused them pain initially, it led them to repentance and a change of living.

Similarly, if you notice a problem in your marriage, confront it directly, even if it hurts. Do not ignore or cover it. The longer you avoid it, the more toxicity builds up and might destroy your relationship. If you cannot speak boldly to your spouse, write a letter as Paul did, or get the help of a third person or a therapist. Here is the second principle in restoring broken relationships

B. Godly sorrow leads to repentance and results in salvation. Worldly sorrow lacks repentance resulting in death. (Vs10). Paul mentions two kinds of sorrows and their outcomes. Godly sorrow leads to repentance (change of heart) which leads to salvation or saving a relationship. Worldly sorrow void of repentance results in death (a relationship may be beyond recovery).

            How do these two types work? For instance, if your spouse is at fault in your marriage, worldly sorrow might result in simply saying, "I am sorry," without a change of heart. On the other hand, a person who displays godly sorrow acknowledges a specific sin, takes full responsibility for it, and does whatever it takes not to repeat the same sin again and again.

            When you move in godly sorrow, you are earnest to clear yourself if you are in the wrong. You will have real distress over the wrong you have done. You will do whatever you can to make things right. We see these principles at work in the Corinthian Church.

            Upon receiving a severe letter from Paul, the believers disciplined the person in question. They may have put him out of fellowship as a way of punishment. Upon repentance, they forgave him, so he did not overcome by discouragement. In the end, they reaffirmed their love.

 

You may struggle in a broken relationship, but do not give up hope. Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed." There is nothing that our Lord cannot do, including restoring a broken relationship. Sometimes, despite all effort and prayer, some broken marriages may not be restored and end in divorce. Know that God still loves you and will never leave or abandon you when that happens.

 

 

 

             

 

 

 

 

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[1] https://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/marriage-problems/how-to-fix-a-broken-relationship-find-the-termites/

God's Dwelling Place

                                                  GOD'S DWELLING PLACE.

Flannery O'Connor's short story A Temple of the Holy Ghost written in 1953, tells of a precocious 12-year-old girl and two country boys who have come to court her visiting cousins. The girl overhears her teenage cousins mock a nun, Sister Perpetua, who has suggested a formula to use in fending off fresh young men in the back seats of cars. "Stop, sir! I am a Temple of the Holy Ghost!" the nun taught the girls to say. The cousins think such advice is hilarious.

However, the girl could not follow the conversation but was moved. The news that she is the dwelling place of God makes her feel as if somebody has given her a present."[1] This fictional story may help girls to fend off any guys making undue advances. On the other hand, when it comes to thinking of it, being the Temple of the Holy Ghost is an honor to consider.

Last week we learned that we are given the weapons of righteousness to attack and defend against the tactics of Satan and his demonic forces. Today we will learn about the impact of unhealthy partnerships with unbelievers and where God's dwelling place is.

I. Can we partner with unbelievers? (Vs. 14)

I conversed with my cousin's American husband in India a few years ago. I told him how I work with Sharon's interfaith clergy for the town's Shalom. Suddenly he became very judgmental and began to say, I compromised my faith and, to an extent, lost my salvation. What made him and other over-zealous Christians take these extreme views of the scripture?

I Cor 6:14. "Don't team up with those who are unbelievers."  Some quote this as saying we should not have any contact with unbelievers. There is a doctrine called the doctrine of separation or non-fellowship. Some protestants believe that the members of a church should be separate from "the world" and not associate with people of the world.

Many scriptures in the Old and New Testaments provide some basis for this doctrine."[2] Is II Cor 6:14 saying that we should never be friends with unbelievers? Is this encouraging a kind of unhealthy separatism to the extent that we become insular and exclusive? The context in which it was said matters. Paul was warning the Corinthians against the dangers of idolatry.

Let us examine what Paul meant by "Do not team up with those who are unbelievers" or "Don't be yoked together with unbelievers." (NIV). Paul is not suggesting that we should not have any relationships or associations with unbelievers. Instead, this is a prohibition against forming close partnerships with non-Christians. He uses an agricultural metaphor about yoking.

To fully understand the impact of this scripture, we need to know what a Yoke is. Farmers commonly use a yoke on their cattle. It is a wooden device that goes on the neck of two cattle connecting them. It is tied around both animals so that it is secure and they cannot escape.

They must walk next to each other. If they are not equally yoked, one ox will drag the other. It even causes them to choke the other. God warned His people against unequally yoked alliances, saying, "You must not plow with an ox and a donkey harnessed together." Dt 22:10.

For the Corinthian believers to cooperate with false teachers, who are servants of Satan, falling for their charming ways, is to become unequally yoked, which would destroy destroying their relationships with Christ and one another. How does being unequally yoked affect us?

Partnering with unbelievers would compromise our faith, weaken our witness, and ruin our good relationships. Unequally yoked with unbelievers is a warning, especially for Christians seeking marriage alliances. Marrying a non-Christian will cause you to be unequally yoked. That unbelieving marriage partner might turn you away from following Christ. Paul encourages us to avoid such partnerships to protect us from wounds caused by unequally yoked alliances.

What if you are a Christian and have already married a non-believer? Or your believing partner becomes an unbeliever? God can redeem and heal any marriage relationship. Paul has a bit of advice for Christians whose partner is not a believer in the I Corinthians 7^th chapter. 

II. Three contrasts explain why partnering with unbelievers would not work.

The Apostle Paul uses three contrasts to explain unequally yoked partnerships cannot survive. Vs. 14-15, "How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?" These verses encourage Christians to live differently in the world.

Just as righteousness can not stand wickedness, as darkness flees from the light, Christians must be wise in dealing with unbelievers. As Christ stood against the works of Satan, we must stand up and resist the devil and his followers, not walking hand in hand with them.

What does that mean practically? It means a child of God must recognize that they are in the world but not of the world. We have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the glorious kingdom of light. Therefore, let us live like the children of light.

As the Apostle Paul advised the Roman believers, we should not copy the world's behavior, culture, and customs, like celebrating a pagan festival, Halloween, etc. Instead, we should let God transform us into new people by changing our thinking. We must give up destructive friendships and seek spiritually and emotionally healthy partnerships. There is another chief reason why Christians should avoid compromising alliances with unbelievers.

III. God's Dwelling Place (Vs. 16)

Vs. 16 "And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people." Here Paul was referring to a portion of the Israelite's history.

In the OT, God commanded Moses to build a holy sanctuary, the Tabernacle, so that He could live among them. The Tabernacle became God's dwelling place. In Leviticus 26, we read about God's pronounced blessings for obedience and punishment for disobedience.

One of the blessings of obedience to God was His abiding and accompanying presence. But the Israelites failed to obey God. Instead, they made alliances with people of other nations and worshipped their idols. God punished them by exiling them into Babylon.

What can we learn from this history lesson? God dwelt in the Tabernacle in the wilderness and later in king Solomon's temple and now resides in His people. In other words, we become God's dwelling place. Like the little girl in the story earlier, consider it an honor.

In the OT, God appointed priests to maintain and keep His temple. The priest's responsibility was to keep themselves pure and keep unholy people or animals from entering and defiling the temple. Similarly, let us get to work and take good care of God's dwelling place.

Paul lays out some practical ways to care for our bodies, God's dwelling place here in this passage and elsewhere. First, we take care of God's dwelling place by not entering unholy partnerships with unbelievers. Secondly, by avoiding sexual immorality. "Run from sexual sin!

No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So, you must honor God with your body." I Cor 6:18-20

We are strengthened and encouraged in our faith when we come together with fellow brothers and sisters and worship God on the Lord's Day. God not only dwells in our hearts individually but also among us when the living stones unite to serve the Lord. May Hope Church become God's dwelling place as we become devoted followers of Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] Source: Philip Yancey, "Holy Sex—How it Ravishes Our Souls," Christianity Today, (October 2003)

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctrine_of_separation