Riches of Their Liberality, Part I

2018-02-04

Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; (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. (3) For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; (4) Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. (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. (6) Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. (2 Corinthians 8:1-6)

2 Corinthians 8-9 is written to the Corinthians to remind them of the offering to which they had pledged money. In the first six verses, he reminds them of the churches of Macedonia’s zeal to give to the poor saints (see Acts 16:6-13 for the beginning of the church in Philippi, chief city in Macedonia). Let us look at some of the qualities of the Macedonians:

  1. The grace of God was bestowed upon them. They have received God’s grace; all of the following points are corollary to this. When you know you have received God’s grace, your life changes significantly. 2 Corinthians 8:1
  2. They had great trial of affliction. They were going through a period of great tribulation. This is normal for Christians (1 Thessalonians 3:1-4), but sometimes tribulation is worse than at other times. 2 Corinthians 8:2
  3. They had abundance of joy. How can we be joyful in tribulation (2 Corinthians 7:4)? I think there are a few reasons.

    First, when you are persecuted for the sake of Christ, you know you are doing something right. The apostles were joyful after being beaten (Acts 5:40-42) because they knew they had received the grace of God to do His will and had done exactly what God told them to do (Acts 5:20).

    Second, when you are persecuted, you know that Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33). Since you belong to Jesus, you also have overcome the world by faith in Christ (1 John 5:4). The Macedonians understood these implications of their persecution. 2 Corinthians 8:2
  4. They had deep poverty. These people were very poor, like the church in Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11). Because they were poor, they had deep spiritual riches (Revelation 2:9). 2 Corinthians 8:2
  5. They gave beyond their power. They gave everything they had, and then some. The Lord provided for them in some way so they could do this. 2 Corinthians 8:3
  6. They begged Paul to accept the gift. They entreated Paul to take the gift, which implies that even Paul saw how radical their giving was and tried to talk them into giving less. 2 Corinthians 8:4
  7. They gave themselves to the Lord. I see a few ways they did this. They understood:
    • Their things were God’s things.
    • Their time was God’s time.
    • Their money was God’s money.
    • Their life was God’s life.
    2 Corinthians 8:5
  8. They gave themselves to the apostles. They listened to their teaching. The apostles’ teaching is preserved in God’s Word today. To give yourself to the Lord and His teaching is the will of God. 2 Corinthians 8:5
  9. The previous points should encourage all of us to the same behavior. Titus went to the Corinthians to encourage them to the same activity as the apostles had seen in the churches of Macedonia. 2 Corinthians 8:6

Continue to Part II.