(Katapatan ng Kristiyano sa pagbibigay na higit sa inaasahan ng Diyos)
2CORINTHIANS
8:1-9 “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God
bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2Cor 8:2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and
their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
2Cor 8:3 For to [their] power, I bear record, yea, and beyond [their] power [they
were] willing of themselves;
2Cor 8:4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and [take
upon us] the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
2Cor 8:5 And [this they did], not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves
to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
2Cor
8:6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also
finish in you the same grace also.
2Cor 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every [thing], [in] faith, and utterance,
and knowledge, and [in] all diligence, and [in] your love to us, [see] that ye
abound in this grace also.
2Cor 8:8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of
others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
2Cor 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was
rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be
rich.”
Introduction:
a.
The faithfulness of the Macedonian church was beyond God’s
expectation and Paul was a witness to their faithfulness in giving to the work
of the Lord.
b.
Paul was very proud of the strong faith of the Macedonian
church and used this opportunity to encourage the Corinthian church to give to
the Lord.
c.
I hope and pray that this lesson will be an encouragement
to our church so that we can reach our goal for our balcony construction
project.
Four (4) things we can learn from Macedonian faithfulness
in giving:
I.
THEY gAve LIBERALLY WITH JOY DESPITE THEIR DEEP POVERTY
(Masaganang nagbibigay sila ng may kagalakan sa
kabila ng kanilang matinding kahirapan.
2CORINTHIANS 8:2 “How that in a great trial of
affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the
riches of their liberality.”
a. The Macedonian
gave to the Lord with liberality and with joy in spite of their deep poverty.
b. The normal Christian
habit was that they would give based on their prosperity but the Macedonian gave
liberally even when they were in deep poverty.
c. This giving is
by faith with total sacrifice.
II. THEY GAVE LIBERALLY WITH WILLINGNESS BEYOND THEIR
CAPABILITY
(Nagbigay sila nang may kalayaan na may kusang-loob
nang higit sa kanilang kakayahan.
2CORINTHIANS 8:3 “For to [their] power, I bear
record, yea, and beyond [their] power [they were] willing of themselves;”
a. This kind of
giving gives with strong faith and faithfulness.
b. This giving
was inconvenient because they gave themselves to the Lord.
2CORINTHIANS 8:5 “And [this they did], not as we
hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of
God.”
c. This giving is
an example of the Lord Jesus Christ.
2CORINTHIANS 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that
ye through his poverty might be rich.”
III. THEY GAVE LIBERALLY WITH SINCERITY TO PROVE THEIR
LOVE FOR GOD
(Malaya
silang nagbigay ng may katapatan upang patunayan ang kanilang pagmamahal sa
Diyos.)
2CORINTHIANS 8:7-8 “Therefore, as ye abound in every [thing],
[in] faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and [in] all diligence, and [in] your
love to us, [see] that ye abound in this grace also.
2Cor 8:8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of
others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.”
a. It is a giving
with the abundant grace of God.
2CORINTHIANS 8:7 “Therefore, as ye abound in every [thing],
[in] faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and [in] all diligence, and [in] your
love to us, [see] that ye abound in this grace also.
b. It is a
giving that proves the reality of our love for God.
2CORINTHIANS 8:8 “I speak not by commandment, but by
occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.”
c. God loves the
cheerful giver. It is giving that urges the Christian to be like Christ in
giving.
2CORINTHIANS 9:7 “Every man according as he purposeth
in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God
loveth a cheerful giver.”
IV. THEY GAVE LIBERALLY WITH A READINESS OF THEIR
HEARTS TO GOD
(Masaganang
nagbigay sila na may kahandaang ng kanilang puso sa Diyos)
2CORINTHIANS 8:11 “Now therefore perform the doing [of
it]; that as [there was] a readiness to will, so [there may be] a performance
also out of that which ye have.”
a. The giving with readiness of heart was the
manifestation of our strong faith to God.
b. The giving with readiness and willingness of
heart to God proves our deep love for God.
2CORINTHIANS 8:12 “For if there be first a willing
mind, [it is] accepted according to that a man hath, [and] not according to
that he hath not.”
Conclusion:
This kind of faithful giving beyond Christian’s ability
is based on Christ’s example of giving Himself to God to redeem the sin of the
world.
God bless you all
[Let Us Pray For One Another]
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