Stand Strong in the Word
Stand Strong in the Word is a weekly bible study that teaches through the Bible verse by verse in chronological order. For more information, visit www.standstrongministries.org.
Stand Strong in the Word
#287 "Sowing Seeds of Blessing: The Joy of Giving" (2 Corinthians 9:6-15)
Imagine this: what if the key to unlocking true abundance lies not in what we hoard, but in what we freely share? In 2 Corinthians 9:5-15, Paul challenges us to rethink our understanding of generosity. It’s not just about money; it’s a vivid expression of our faith in God’s provision. When we give joyfully, we don’t just uplift those around us; we create a pathway for God’s grace to flow endlessly into our hearts and lives. So, what type of giver are you? Let’s explore this together and uncover the incredible joy of being generous with what God has given us.
Please follow me here:
LINKS
https://www.facebook.com/jason.jimenez.5099
https://www.tiktok.com/@jasonpjimenez
https://www.instagram.com/jasonpjimenez/
https://twitter.com/jasonpjimenez
What if the secret to true abundance wasn't in what you keep, but in what you give? In 2 Corinthians 9, verses 5-15, paul reminds us that generosity isn't about finances. It's a reflection of our trust in God's provision. When we give cheerfully, we don't just bless others, we open the door for God to bless us. Let's turn to 2 Corinthians 9, and let's get into it. Well, hey there, my friends, welcome to Stand Strong in the Word podcast.
Speaker 1:Jason Jimenez, with you guys, as always, blessed to be with you on this podcast as we are diving into the second part of 2 Corinthians 9. Now, as always, if you find this podcast to be refreshing, it emboldens your faith. It helps you to stand strong in the Word, which obviously we want to grow and strengthen your faith. Then leave us a comment by going to info at standstrongministriesorg that is our email address that you can send directly to us, or go to the website standstrongministriesorg that is our email address that you can send directly to us, or go to the website stanstrongministriesorg, and wherever you get your podcast, we would greatly appreciate if you would also leave a review and share this with your friends. Now, as always, if you've missed out, check out the previous podcast.
Speaker 1:We are doing a chronological teaching through, at this point in time, paul's ministry, and so we are now in 2 Corinthians, and where we left off was your example matters inspiring others through giving, and I got to tell you that. One thing that I pointed out and I was reflecting on it even as I was coming into studio to record this it's amazing, the people that God has placed in my life he was so giving, in fact, one of the individuals that God has placed in my life, he was so giving, in fact, one of the individuals that I miss dearly. They moved. He got a different job, a better job. They're doing great. We keep tabs with each other off and on, but they've been such an inspiration, such an example to me and my wife and our ministry, with a lot of my colleagues, and in one of my travels that I'm planning right now, I want to be able to try to see this individual and to check on him and just let him know how thankful I have truly been because of his generosity, just how that's encouraged me to try to be like him, and I think that's something as we see it unfolding. We don't oftentimes plan this like God send me somebody who's very generous and so that I can be generous in return. It just happens that's how life goes, but we have to be attentive to it. We have to look at that, not be jealous or condescending, but rather we accept and say, lord, thank you for just the moment of time that I've had with this individual who's so generous, and how that inspires me. Their example matters to me and in return, I want to be that example to others. And so now we transition from verses 1 through 5. We are now transitioning to the title here Sowing Seeds of Blessing, the Joy of Giving. So, as we want to be an example, how now can we sow seeds of blessing? How can we show people the joy of giving?
Speaker 1:As I said in the opening, it's not about the things that we collect. Oftentimes, if you notice the conversations that we have with a lot of people, it's I have this lake house, I have this beach house, I'm buying this truck, or I pull up and I have this truck. And sadly, the reason why I said truck is because I've recently, with a lot of conversations, even with my oldest, you know. We see a really cool truck. We take a snapshot and we send it to each other and kind of like our dream truck. And I got to confess I, you know I got to set that aside. It's, it's not about that. I still am very blessed to drive an almost 10 year old vehicle that has done me well and it's paid off. So what a blessing, especially when you have a lot of kids in your house that are driving now. So, but you know, we can sometimes, you know, focus on that right, and that's not what we're to do. Rather, we are to see the things that God has given us and say Lord, how can I use what you've given me to be a blessing to others? And obviously, as we do that willingly, joyfully, it is honoring the Lord.
Speaker 1:So let's dive in and start at verse six. It says the point is this so let's dive in and start at verse six. It says the point is this so let's just pause. Let's jump back to verse five. He says 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.
Speaker 1:So remember, the Macedonians were inspired by the generosity of the Corinthians we talked about. And so Paul, to avoid any type of controversy or embarrassment, he planned these brothers we don't know who they were, but to make sure that they ensured that this gift was actually going to go to the hands of the people that it was meant for. So here now, in verse six, he's saying whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So if you go back to chapter eight, verses one through 15, paul outlined there the importance of generosity. So now what he's doing in this final section of chapter nine is discussing the outcomes of being generous. So Paul draws from the well-known proverb you reap what you sow. So again, remember, he knows the Hebrew scriptures.
Speaker 1:He's applying these truths to the message of the to the Corinthians today, and he's emphasizing that if you give generously, so based on this collection that these brothers are going to be giving into the hands of the people, that it was intended for, the people in Jerusalem, god will bless you with the abundance of what you have given, that, you will bear much fruit in your life and you will see the flourishing of God's kingdom as a result. Now the Reformation Study Bible says this in agricultural metaphor the farmer who plants much seed reaps a large crop, but a small planting yields a small harvest. This promise is also true in the spiritual realm. Those who give generously will reap abundantly. For the kingdom, what is given is never lost. It is sown. While God may at times provide a generous harvest in the physical and material realm to those who give, this is not the new testament promise or pattern. And he gives you know passage in luke 6, 20 and james, chapter 2, verse 5. So that's important for us to understand. While god may at times provide a generous harvest in the physical and material realm to those who give, this is not a guarantee across the board. So we have to automatically, my friends, reject the prosperity doctrine. Now I don't have time to dissect that, but we clearly see in this passage this is not what this is talking about. Now.
Speaker 1:There are many passages in the Bible that speak to the sowing in the reaping metaphor. In fact, as we go back to Proverbs 11, verse 24, it says one who gives freely yet grows all the richer, another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. We also see in Luke, chapter six, verse 38, jesus said give and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap, for with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Galatians 6, verse 7, do not be deceived, god is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. So we see over and over again this message, my friends, that if you give generously, if you give joyfully remember we talked about in the last podcast based off of you, your sanctification, your giftedness, your relationship with the Lord and the stewardship that you have with the resources that you're given. That's what we are to focus on, not that somebody gave more time or gave more money than you did. We don't measure it that way, for with the measure you use, it, it will be measured back to you. That's what Jesus said. And we are to sow so we can see reaping come into flourishing. And then verse 7 says each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. So this phrase decided in his heart. I love this because, as we've been talking about in the previous chapter, it conveys this idea of contemplating, being prayerful.
Speaker 1:The intent is to give prayer privately doesn't mean that people can't find out or anything like that Just don't showboat, you're not showing off, you're not giving to seek recognition. So let's just say this if ever we have shown off and we are putting ourselves on display for people to recognize and we're like, oh to God, be the glory right, we've all done it, even if we, even in our hearts, we may not say it publicly or say it out loud, but we have to repent of that and we don't want that to be a pattern, because generosity doesn't stem from being compelled to give, or or from reluctance, or we just give so we can be, uh, promoting ourselves as somebody who's a worthy Christian for all people to follow our example. No, true giving comes from a heart of joy, a spirit of gratitude. When we have witnessed what God has done in our life again, as he has given us mercy, we are to do the same. And so God loves my friends, a cheerful giver.
Speaker 1:This also is a paraphrase that Paul uses from Proverbs 22, verse 8. So, as he's writing to the Corinthians, he's probably pouring over Hebrew scripture and seeing the truth that's resonating there, and he's trying to apply it in the modern time and as the expansion of the church. And so now, when you look at verses 8 and 9, he says 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.
Speaker 1:So here in these verses, paul emphasizes that, as God enriches our lives with his generous grace, it inspires us to give generously and to show hearts of thanksgiving for the work he is doing in and through us. So take the time, even after you listen to this podcast or if you need, to pause and see God's generous grace in your life and see how that has inspired you, my friends, to give generously, to be thankful and to say Lord, you are working in and through me. And to say Lord, you are working in and through me. This phrase God is able to make. The Greek word here is dynateo. It's in the verb, and so it means to display capability to be effective. So God is displaying through you. So, rather than us put ourselves on display, god is displaying through you to be effective. So, when his grace abounds on you, it's so that you and I can be effective. And so Paul lists three phrases that speak to God's provision for his people, when God has called us to be effective. Number one no matter the circumstance, god will give abundantly. Number two God's supply is unlimited because he is eternal. His love is infinite. And three, god will give you exactly what you need when you need it.
Speaker 1:The Cultural Background Study Bible says, quote in ancient business documents in the Greek terms, right relating to abundantly and abound or overflowing, or excel or plenty could apply to profit margins. In Greek, paul uses all terms five times. Isn't that amazing? Five times Three of them. The commentary says one after the other. Such repetition underlined a point as well as verbal skills that Greek hearers honored.
Speaker 1:So he is really standing out here where you're not to deny, you're not to reject the profit margins again, not prosperity doctrine, the property margins In this case. He says he has distributed freely, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. So you will see a major profit of God's righteousness in your life. When you trust in his grace, when you know that his grace is sufficient for all things in your life, you may abound in every good work. God has equipped you, my friends. God has given you the resources, and this is something I have to be reminded of constantly running my own ministry that God has equipped you, my friends. God has given you the resources and this is something I have to be reminded of constantly Running my own ministry that God has blessed me with, with the staff of people that we contract with, that we work with at times Sometimes the cost can be overwhelming at times and trusting that God knows the needs and he, again, he, will give us what we need when we need it, that honors him, so we could do the good work that he's called us to do. Okay, I have to be reminded of that.
Speaker 1:And so Paul, at the very end here in verse 9, he's quoting from Psalm 112, and he's applying this to the Corinthians because he wants to reflect that, hey, when you are generous in your giving, that's righteous living. Again, we don't. We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We're to be gracious and generous. We're to love God and love people. The first and second greatest commandment that we don't do it to attain salvation. It's an act of grace, as we've been bestowed generously with his grace. We act of grace as we've been bestowed generously with his grace. We are to extend that towards others. And so the context here in Psalm 112 makes sense in connection, if you look back in Psalm 111, because in Psalm 111, it speaks to the great works of God and then in chapter or I should just say the salt and the psalters.
Speaker 1:In Psalm 112, it's about now living out what God has done in his creation and then how he chooses to use us. And that's why in verse 10, he says he who supplies seed to the sower so notice, we are to sow but who supplies us with the seed, and it says and bread for food will supply and multiply. So not only does God supply, god is in the business of multiplying. So the seed for sowing will increase in the harvest of righteousness. So again he continues with this agricultural metaphor and he's referencing again Isaiah 55, verse 10, and Hosea, chapter 10, verse 12. So again, pouring through Hebrew scripture to emphasize from the Old Testament as he's now writing the New Testament Of course Paul wasn't thinking it in that terms he's writing these letters inspired by the Holy Spirit, emphasizing how God's word is vital for the salvation of his people. And so these verses illustrate God's provisions, they're reinforcing the message of hope and redemption in scriptures. One study Bible says, quote God's multiplication of seed should lead to greater amounts of sowing, not greater amounts of storage for the seed. End quote.
Speaker 1:I love that because if you, my friends, right now, let's say you're fully educated and you have time that God has given you, you have experience, and let's say you have more resources than the average person, you know, and you're not doing much about it. You just kind of go to work, pray a little prayer, you know, drop a few, you know checks, donate here and there, but you're not really being consistent, you're not really being holistic about it. That's sad, because what you're doing is you're storing up more seed, you're sitting on it and if ever, you know that if you have a bag of seed and you don't use it, some of it can go stale, and so we need to make sure that what God has supplied us with, that we're using it, not for greater amounts of storage. You know we're not just to store up our seed. When God again supplies seed to us, or when he gives bread for food to supply, to multiply, we have to use it.
Speaker 1:Because in verse 11, it says you will be enriched in every way, to be generous in every way. So God has given you and I opportunity to be generous. So generosity and this is one thing I want to stress it's not that it only enriches our lives, it's. It's not that it only enriches our lives, but it's also again an example, going back to our last podcast, that's reflecting the overflowing of god's grace. So what a blessing and you and I know my friends, when we give that really right, there matters the most is just, it's just, oh, what, what? What a blessing it is to be able to help people, because it says which, through us, will produce thanksgiving to God. And it's so true when you give, it's such a blessing. We're saying Lord, thank you for giving me these resources, giving me this seed, giving me this bread that I can use again, figuratively speaking, that I can use to minister to the lives of people speaking, that I can use to minister to the lives of people. And so the idea is that the more we give, the greater the enrichment we experience as we partake in the Lord's goodness.
Speaker 1:I love what James says in chapter one, verse 17,. He says every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. And so in the closing of this section, after talking about being generous, after talking about giving all to the Lord and being thankful for what God has supplied us with so we can meet the need, as God remember, as God makes provision for us, we are not to hoard that gift and then look around and say, oh, these poor souls out there. And you know, I got to say the vast majority of people and I'm speaking just being in ministry for almost 30 years the vast majority of Christians that my wife and I have encountered are actually giving people because that's the work of the Holy Spirit. You can see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their life Now, and so many of them will tell you they've even said this in our ministry man, I wish I could give more.
Speaker 1:I was having lunch one time with a donor and I just said, hey, before we get started, let me just say what a blessing it is to know that you and your wife support the ministry and that we have that support and it we just it, just it means so much to us. And immediately he's like oh yeah, you know, we just wish we can give more. I said you know what, I appreciate that, but you know what? I don't see it that way. You give what God has called you to give and I recognize that. I'm thankful for that. My friends, that's what's fitting here.
Speaker 1:So in verse 12, when it says for the ministry of the service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but it's also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. God is grateful and it's kind of weird saying that, but he is. He's grateful to us, not because we're giving him benefit or acknowledging him or making him better. That is heresy. God is unchangeable. He is a perfect, holy, absolute perfection, right, but there's Thanksgiving that is offered to God.
Speaker 1:When two brothers like, for example, I'm sitting there with a brother in Christ at lunch and it was my way of even treating him for that meal, and then at the end he's like no, let me also bless you with this as well, and it gets me emotional want to neglect what God is doing through the lives of people, in my life, knowing that I'm here right now because of the generosity of people, and so there's overflowing in many thanksgivings to God over and over again. And we have to take time, my friends, I believe, as I'm sharing you this message today on this podcast reading from 2 Corinthians 9, that when we do look around and make an assessment in our own lives, that we pause and we give many thanksgivings to God for who he is, what he's doing in our lives and how he's using us to minister to the lives of others. Because in verse 13, he says, by their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the lives of others. Because in verse 13, he says, 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. And I think it's so fitting here, as we close this podcast, that here Paul is concluding this entire section on giving, emphasizing thanksgiving, as all honor and praise is given to our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ, because he and he alone, in his inexpressible gift of grace that he has bestowed upon us, he is worthy of our worship. The generous contributions to the churches that we see in the hands of these Corinthians and these Macedonians is commendable, because one it shows us that they gave out of obedience. And that's what we want to do. We want to give out of obedience to the Lord Because sometimes it is hard and I'll be honest, my wife and I, at times when a need came our way, we were not expecting and I'd be quick to say we can't do it right now, and then we say we didn't even pray about it.
Speaker 1:Why did this need come our way? Because maybe God is calling us to do something. Now, obviously they want to achieve a certain amount and we can contribute to that amount. I don't think in many cases we were able to fulfill the entire thing and I don't think that's always the case that one person should do, because when you get more people involved, more people are impacted by it in a great way, because what we see. Number two is that the Corinthians gave sacrificially and there are times where we're going to have to do that. It may be tight, it's a miracle and I got to tell you guys, I would not be here sharing this message with you today if it wasn't for those moments of giving sacrificially. Number three the Corinthians extended grace in their offering. They weren't thinking that they're some big shots and they're better. They were giving through grace, as they themselves have been given grace, and so this monetary offering, remember, is secondary. We have to keep that in mind. Even though the Corinthians were so generous and were such a great example, what is most important, even for our lives today, today that we need to take heart to, is that we have eternal life, that we're living in accordance with the gospel.
Speaker 1:I love what Paul actually says in speaking to this particular passage at this time, as he's writing this letter in second or, excuse me, in Romans, chapter 15, verses 26 and 27. And here's a plea that he is giving. He says, for Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem, for they were pleased to do it and indeed they owe it to them, for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. When, therefore, I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain, by the way of you. And then he says in closing, verse 15, thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift.
Speaker 1:What a way to end this podcast. Let us say right now. Thanks be to you, lord Jesus, for your inexpressible gift. So I pray, my friends, that in your life that you're sowing seeds of blessings, that you are experiencing the joy of giving and as you do it, that you look to the heavens. You look to our Lord and say God, thank you for your grace. You are worthy of worship, and I take what you've given me and I pray that I will use it to advance your kingdom. Until next time, my friends keep standing strong in the word of God.