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
#284 “Beyond Their Means: The Secret to True Generosity" (2 Corinthians 8:1-6)
In this episode, we discuss the remarkable generosity of the Macedonia churches, as Paul noted in his letter. Despite facing significant hardships, poverty, and natural disasters, these churches demonstrated faithful sacrificial giving. Their actions serve as a powerful example of how grace can inspire generosity. Join Jason Jimenez to discover how you can also find joy in giving to those in need.
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Let me ask you this personal question how generous are you? Now, I know it's easy to give when you have enough to give, but are you the kind of person that gives sacrificially, that you're willing to give up something that you have to benefit others? Well, that's exactly what we're gonna be exploring on today's podcast. So I encourage you to turn to 2 Corinthians 8, and let's get into it. Well, hey there, my friends, welcome to Stand Strong in the Word podcast, jason Jimenez, with you, as always. Blessed to be with you guys.
Speaker 1:Now, as I'm recording this, we're now in a new year, so happy new year to all those people who are listening. If you're listening to this and it's sometime in summer it's just because this is an old episode, but I'm still glad that you are listening. But I just want to thank you guys for those who participated also in our end of the year giving and this is so fitting because, before I dived into our new chapter in 2 Corinthians 8, verses 1, 1 through 6, and talk about the secret to true generosity, I need to say thank you for those who don't just listen. You pray, you share this podcast, which I'm so thankful for, but you also contributed financially to help our nonprofit ministry Stands For Run Ministries to continue to do what God has called us to do. You know, here on this podcast and in our ministry, we believe that people who have questions, who are doubting, who are struggling, who have been introduced to false teaching, who are just, you know, looking to grow in the word, like we believe, that God has called us to come into those people's lives and to love them and to teach them the truth of God's word and to help crown them. We all need solid answers for why we believe, and so this is just one of many outlets that we have in our ministry, and so thank you for your support. So, with that being said, if you have missed any previous podcasts, as always, I encourage you guys to check them out wherever you get your podcasts, and you can always go to stanstrongministriesorg and see all of the ministry resources that we've made available to help you.
Speaker 1:So let's dive in now to this new chapter in 2 Corinthians, chapter 8, and we're going to be exploring the next two chapters about giving, and so I really want us to be reflective, and so that's why, in the opening, I asked you the question how generous are you? As Christians? We are to be generous, we are to have empathy and compassion and to extend grace, just as our Heavenly Father has done for us, and we're to be like Christ. And so, like me, there are times when, even when I have discussions with my wife and there's a need, sometimes it's like is this going to be an inconvenience? Or we weren't planning this, this just came up and I can get into that funk sometimes, I'll admit that.
Speaker 1:But when we go before the Lord, and even as I've been exploring this passage, it has really helped me be grateful, not just for the people who God has placed in my life, who support my life, my family, our ministry, but me as a friend. And I know so many of you out there who have never met, but I know from the emails I get from you guys and seeing your heart's desire and your passion, and traveling around to many churches and speaking with some of the most kindhearted, gentle, generous people, I know that you guys want to give more, that you want God to use you. And one way I will just tell you, because God's really moved on my heart and convicted me my wife and I just actually, at the end of the year, we evaluated where our tithe goes. We don't just tithe to our local church, we contribute to individual people who are on the mission, field organizations that are working around the world, field organizations that are working around the world. Whatever the case may be, we are helping people who lost their job. We were able to participate in that with some other families recently because somebody just unannounced, obviously just before the holidays, he lost his job and he has a lot of children and you know we weren't able to obviously provide, you know all of all of the, the, the, the money he needed to pay his bills.
Speaker 1:But when you have people coming together, god always provides, and so just being a part of that and extending that love is such a blessing. It's such a blessing. And so, as we transition into this particular, not just topic or discussion because I don't want it to be lighthearted and I don't want us to dismiss or just move on to something you know deeper and more theologically enriching. You know, like the hypostatic union, the, the, the topic here that we're going to be discussing about generosity, about giving, I pray this will not just accelerate your understanding, but that it would be something that would speak to you directly to evaluate your life and see how you could become more generous. That's my prayer and that's my prayer for all my faithful listeners out there.
Speaker 1:So in 2 Corinthians 8, notice Paul says. He says we want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for, in 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 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, in this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then, by the will of God, to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that, as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. So here, what we just read is like a transition, and Paul's going to spend the next two chapters exploring the grace of God, moving upon the Macedonian people and the Corinthians. And you're going to see this generosity that is pouring forth in the midst of persecution, in the midst of poverty, in the midst of them not having much but trusting God, and through generosity the gospel is spreading. So we can't lose sight of that, because here, this phrase grace of God this is a phrase that Paul is using in connection in the context of giving, because you and I know that when we give it's because of the grace of God, and what that means is, as Christ sacrificially gave of himself, we too, as the church, are to give sacrificially, we are to have joy in giving. We're gonna be touching on this in the next chapter about what God desires as we give, and what we see in scripture is it needs to come from a grateful heart.
Speaker 1:Now the churches in Macedonia. This is the northern Roman province area of Greece. Okay, and this included Thessalonica, philippi and Berea, and Paul ministered to these cities. In fact, we did a study in 1 and 2 Thessalonians, so I encourage you, if you've not heard that study, go back to the archives and check that out. But Paul ministered in these cities and this was during his second and third missionary journeys. This is all the way going back to Acts 16, into 17, and then into 20, verses 1-6.
Speaker 1:And Paul mentions in Romans 15, 26,. Actually, he says, for Macedonia and Achaia have been, have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem, so they were pleased, meaning they found great joy in participating, you know, in this need to raise support for the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. And so here in verse two, when he says, 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, what's he talking about? Well, let's put some context to this, because one thing I want us to understand is what a blessing it is when you have somebody and our ministry has benefited from this tremendously. We are so thankful when somebody that God has blessed tremendously Okay, so they have more than what they need to take care of their family, and so there's a big need and they're able to write a big check for that. That's amazing. But you know, it doesn't really hurt them. In a way, it's like you know they're not sitting there thinking, okay, how can we make this work Versus when somebody who can't even give a quarter of that big fat check? But for them it's everything, like they're going to have to make sacrifices, but they believe truthfully this is what God and they give joyfully and in faith that God's going to use this and we need to trust the Lord. You and I know that that means more than the actual amount of the money. And isn't this what Jesus talked about? We'll be talking about that in these next two chapters, about the widow who gave from her poverty.
Speaker 1:This is what Paul's talking about, because, see, during the reign of Caligula in 8037, there was a massive earthquake and it killed many people and it destroyed a lot of their crops. Okay, so their way of providing and feeding their family, their way of life, was ruined. And now, on top of that, not even 10 years later, judea had a severe famine, and this was due to overpopulation. There were food shortages, there was wars, there was high taxation. In fact, even Luke in Acts, chapter 11, verses 27 and 30, said this.
Speaker 1:Now, in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch and one of them, named Agabus, stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world. This took place in the days of Claudius. So the disciples determined everyone, according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea, and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. So later, when you see Paul mentioning in Galatians, chapter 2, you see this in Acts 15, the Jerusalem council, the leaders, including many of the Gentile Christians. They gathered together and they prioritized the need to help the Jewish believers in their poverty, and that was something Paul mentions again in Galatians 2.10, that he was eager to participate in. So Paul was not just preaching it, he was living it. Remember, we know that he had to work to provide for, you know, his missionary journeys. Yes, they would take up collections and he had a lot of people who supported him to do the work. But he also worked and he gave financially to support other people.
Speaker 1:And so he references in his epistles right, the prejudice that many leaders had towards Christians as well. So not only was there, you know, caligula and Claudius and all these other people that were ruling. They were bullying Christians. You know some of them would lose their jobs, they would lose their reputation, they would threaten them. So we have to keep this in mind. You see this in Philippians 1.30, 1 Thessalonians 2.14, 3.3 and 4. So that explains this severe test of affliction that Paul's talking about. In fact, this word test in the Greek is doikame and it means testing. It captures the worth of someone or something. So you really got to see what these people are made of, when they were in this massive famine or during a period of high taxation, or their lives were being threatened because they were Christian. And so there was people who are prejudiced towards them or bullying them or removing them from having in any form of influence, or threatening to take their job or imprison their family if they continue to profess the name of Christ.
Speaker 1:This is the church coming to aid those people, just like when you and I see through, like Voice of the Martyrs and other organizations, when there's something that happens and your heart breaks for people. I know a lot of people just because of the war with Ukraine and Russia. They're giving to help support just the Ukrainians. They may not believe and agree with all the political nuances that are going on, but nevertheless they want to help support. That's what the church was doing at this period of time.
Speaker 1:1 Thessalonians six of chapter one says and I love this when he's talking about the Macedonians, he says and you became imitators to us and of the Lord, for you received the word and much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit. So when he says that you gave from extreme poverty, it literally means down to the depth poverty. So, if you will, if you can imagine going into this neighborhood and thinking I need to raise support, I need to raise awareness for these people. It would not be an area that you would typically go into because you're saying these people are so poor, what can they possibly do to help? We need to help them. What can they possibly do to help? We need to help them. Literally, it's the audience of people that you would least expect to help people who are poor because they're poor.
Speaker 1:I spent time not long ago with a great team in Nepal and it's a third world country and I got to tell you, my friends, there are images that will never leave my memories. That's a good thing, but it's also a bad thing. The good is it reminds me of the conditions that many Nepali people live in, and if you've ever traveled the globe to do mission work, I'm sure you've encountered that, and it's unlike what we've ever faced here in America. And so this is what we're talking about Imagining very, very poor people giving what very little they have to survive and saying they need it more than I do. Wow. And so, paul, he doesn't begin by asking for money. That's one thing we have to understand. What he's doing is he's highlighting the example of people giving, and I love this.
Speaker 1:I like also what Grace Truth Study Bible says. It says, and referencing verses one and two here it says, chapter eight, verses one and two, tell the story of the grace Paul witnessed in Macedonia. This story is really a flow chart of grace for giving. Grace came down, joy came up and generosity overflowed. Isn't that so true? When you and I, through the grace of God, experience his joy, generosity follows. As grace came down through Christ, joy came up from our hearts and through that, generosity overflows.
Speaker 1:Roughly 70% of the populace at this time, says one commentary, survived at or below the subsistence level. They lived hand to mouth and spent their day hoping to earn enough to feed themselves and their dependents. In this group we would find less successful craftsmen, clients or patrons, day laborers, slaves and tenant farmers. Lucian vividly depicts the unhappy lot of this large majority of the populace. Quote toiling and moiling from morning till night, doubled over their tasks, they merely eke out a bare existence, end quote. So the commentary goes on to say this is from the background's commentary. It says at the very bottom were the outcasts, orphans, widows and those unable to work because of illness or physical impairment. That is what Paul is describing.
Speaker 1:So, despite their poverty, their tribulations, the Corinthians, like the Macedonians, gave generously and they remained joyful. They didn't regret it. They didn't ask for the money back. They didn't. You say you know, we scratch your back, you scratch ours. And this is something that Paul demonstrates the importance of exercising our gifts.
Speaker 1:In Romans 12, verse eight, he says the one who exhorts in his exhortation, the one who contributes in generosity, the one who leads with zeal, the one who does acts of mercy with cheerfulness. That is describing these people. And so now, in verses three and following, despite facing this severe economic hardships, the Macedonian people, they demonstrate an extraordinary spirit of generosity and compassion. And so I ask you, does that describe you when Paul says here, for they gave according to their means, as I can testify and beyond their means. How many times has God laid on our hearts to do something and we don't do it? You see, being generous isn't always about giving money. What about your time? What about your wisdom? What about your experience? What about taking the effort to acknowledge someone, to encourage someone? You see their willingness to extend and help, to lend a helping hand, if you will, to their fellow Christians, people they never met but they knew they were in distress because they themselves have been there before. And so this remarkable kindness, this speaks to a deep seated faith that can only come from the transformation of God's grace.
Speaker 1:Now, I like what the application commentary says, because it says the terminology that's used for the collection, here in verses three and four, is significant. Participating in the collection is labeled a grace. So remember I said before this is why I want to touch on this we are generous because of the grace of God and when we give and like Paul's referring to this collection, it's literally just the Greek word is keros or keres. It just means grace or a privilege. So literally, you guys, when we tithe or when we give, we are giving grace, we are giving a privilege, it's a privilege to give. Not that you should be privileged by my generosity, no, that's not the focus at all. It's equated with sharing. The word sharing is koinonia, it has this fellowship that's attached to it. So, while the collection itself is called a service or a ministry, where the Greek word is diakonoia, where we get the word deacon, servant, from, that's giving. So the terminology that Paul is using speaks to grace, it speaks to sharing. It speaks to fellowship. It speaks to ministry.
Speaker 1:I love this quote from G Campbell Morgan. He says, quote Contributions to the work of the Lord are only valuable as they are the gifts of those who are themselves yielded to God. And that's what the Corinthians did here. They gave themselves first to the Lord and then, by the will of God, to us. Paul says so it wasn't just about financial contributions. It was the Corinthians' willingness to dedicate their lives and show sacrificial love to Paul that served as proof of their obedience to God. Their gesture that we see here is reflected through their genuine appreciation of Paul's consistent openness and care for them. So again, remember, go back to Galatians 2.10. Paul was a giving individual and he brought that cheerful, joyful, grateful heart that really ministered to the Corinthians. And then they had the Macedonians, who modeled that, and they responded just as they were touched by the grace of God. They responded in this gesture, this interaction.
Speaker 1:It emphasizes a connection. See, that's the amazing thing, my friends, is when people, when we give something tangible, it's not just that, that means everything, it's the way in which we give it. You know, I have this individual that I won't mention by name, and I just got to say that we're not the closest Like, we don't check in on a daily basis, but he has always committed to supporting me in any way which he can, no matter what, and he doesn't expect a lot in return. He just wants to make sure that we're taken care of and that we do what God calls to do, and does not like the attention about it. So that's why he would kill me if he found out that I was mentioning him by name on the podcast, and it certainly would never do that.
Speaker 1:I love this brother and I will keep his kindness private, and that's part of the secret of true generosity is you don't wave and let everybody see what you're doing, and that's not the heart here with the Corinthians, and Paul's not publicly addressing this so they can build a big ego as a response to it. No, this is reflecting the kindness that's defined because of their relationship to it. No, this is reflecting the kindness that's defined because of their relationship. So oftentimes, when I see what people generously give, whatever they feel compelled by God to give to me, let's say, or to their church, what matters is that relationship, the reason why Paul says this. Remember, in the previous two chapters ago, 2 Corinthians 6, 11 through 13,. Two chapters ago, 2 Corinthians 6, 11-13, he says we have spoken freely to Corinthians, our heart is wide open. So that's the point how receptive and open they were to giving because of the relationship that Paul had with them, and vice versa, because one thing we're going to be seeing in these two chapters is reciprocity. In fact, we're going to be exploring that in greater detail as we get into the latter part of this chapter.
Speaker 1:But the last thing that I want to touch on is this last verse here In verse 6, it says Accordingly we urged Titus that, as he had started, so he should complete among you, this act of grace, again, the start of this transition about giving. He says about the grace of God that has been given among the churches and then he says accordingly, using Titus as an example, that highlighting somebody who's giving of himself generously because he loves the Corinthians, that he may complete this act of grace. I just shared with you a minute ago that the collection that they were giving is a Greek word. Charis means grace. So this is what Paul's saying. This act of grace is about this collection. And remember, titus began the collection over a year ago but, due to unforeseen circumstances, the contributions from the churches came to a halt, and so, to address this, paul encouraged Titus to renew his efforts to reach out to the churches, inspiring them to come together and support those in need. And it seems, if you look at chapter 9, verse 5, that Paul wanted the collection completed before he returns, because he writes this. 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. So one of the cool things that we see here clearly from Paul is the need for us to give and to be generous about it.
Speaker 1:So, my friends, as we close the podcast today, let me ask you this, as I asked you in the beginning how generous are you? Are you a generous person? Is it hard for you to give? Do you oftentimes focus so much on the needs that you have that you can't see beyond that, so you lose sight of the needs around you? You know, one of the things that I can at least say in all humility and also with a level and a sense of embarrassment that has helped me not to be so selfish or inconsiderate, but to be more thoughtful, to be more engaging, to be more compassionate is to surround myself, as I pray, number one for the Holy Spirit to convict me and to learn from God's word. But as I do that, that I pray that God, you would put people in my life who can teach me how to be more generous, people in my life who can teach me how to be more generous. And let me tell you, when you're around people who are generous, there's something to it. You know, I'm around a lot of smart people, a lot of published people who put out a lot of great content, far better than I can ever imagine doing, and that's great and I love it and we have so many, you know, engaging, enthusiastic conversations. But it's different when you're around somebody who lives in God's grace and my friends, I just pray that we will be those Christians who live in God's grace, that the moment you're listening to this, how encouraging is it when you can say thank you, lord for your grace and thank you Lord that just recently I was able to help such and such person or whatever.
Speaker 1:You know, my wife and my three younger kids are all planning on going to a particular area that we can't mention on the air due to a lot of the persecution, and we're trusting the Lord. They have a great team going, a lot of trained individuals who know this region, and they're going to be supporting missionaries on the ground in their families, which is one reason why my family's going is to aid and support and to be generous and to love on them and care for them. So they're bringing them supplies, they're going to be investing in their children, they're going to be strengthening their marriages, they're going to be helping them with whatever issues they might be having. So we're really thrilled and excited, and so of course it's not cheap might be having. So we're really thrilled and excited, and so of course it's not cheap.
Speaker 1:And my wife and I, for a second there, we're wondering. You know there's a lot of people going in our family and at the end of the day it's a it's a big chunk of change. But if God wants our family to go, we trust the Lord and you know what God did, what we believe God can do, because he's God. He provided, and one of the things that really struck my wife and me was an individual who gave and the way in which they gave. They did it very anonymously, they just didn't want any credit and it just it brought us to tears.
Speaker 1:And I just tell you that because when you and I look at something like this in scripture and you see Paul and you see Titus and you talk about the Macedonians, you talk about the Corinthians and many of us, especially if you're listening to this podcast and you live like in the United States of America or even parts of Canada or in parts of Europe. But there are so many other countries, as you and I know because I've been there, I've been to a lot of impoverished countries and there are so many Christians living in poverty, like the Corinthians here, like the Macedonians, and yet guess what they give? They give out of their poverty. So I pray, my friends, as I close today, to just challenge you that are you willing to give, and not just to give because you have a lot to give, but to give because it's the right thing to do, even when the circumstances you might be in causes you to have to get on your knees and trust the Lord. I know God will provide for you. He will never let us down. So I pray that you'd hold fast to that promise and let you guys know this that we are always available to help you wherever you are at.
Speaker 1:We recently got an email from a listener from Canada. They're struggling, they need deliverance, they need help and I want you guys to know that we're here. We're here to meet the needs as they come in. So if you have a prayer request, if you're struggling or you know what, if you want to give to a ministry in any way, shape or form, we encourage you to reach out to us at info at standstrongministriesorg and let us know how we can serve and help you. No-transcript. He's able to take this godly sorrow with the Corinthians and start teaching them about acts of grace and giving, not just financial giving, but giving of themselves for the glory of God. So I pray that's a blessing to you guys as you hear God's word for you in your life.
Speaker 1:My friends, as I'm recording this, we're coming to the end of the year and let me just tell you this we have set a goal to raise $30,000 that will help us. The great thing is we God has blessed us in the previous year, but we are adding new initiatives that require some more financial assistance so we can have more individuals that we can hire to help me in my travel, to help me with our articles, to help us with production, to help us with editing. We're looking to grow more content on YouTube weekly on a weekly basis, to grow more content on YouTube weekly, on a weekly basis. And not only that, but we also partner with ministries that can't afford the type of ministry that we have, and so what we try to do is we try to raise funds throughout the year to allow me to be able to not only do something like this, this podcast, but also be able to bring our books at no cost or little cost, as well as teaching for nothing, for free, to train parents, to train young people, to even train as we came back from Nepal, a nation of pastors, and partnering with existing ministries using our resources. So I was recently, in 2024, I was able to go for a 10 day mission trip to Nepal to train pastors because of my donors, because of the faithful people who have supported this ministry all these years.
Speaker 1:And this is just one avenue is this podcast.
Speaker 1:So if this is your only connection to the ministry, I want to thank you for your faithfulness.
Speaker 1:Not only leave a review, not only go to our website, standstrongministriesorg to learn more about our ministry and all the resources that we make available to help Christians stand strong in their faith with wise thinking and bold living, but also to come alongside us and become a Stand Strong supporter, whether that's $10, $100 a month or a one-time gift every year.
Speaker 1:But I'm encouraging you, please and I say this because I love you guys and I'm vulnerable I need your help. My team and I are so thankful God is so faithful, god is so good to us, and I could not be doing what I'm doing without the generous and faithful giving of men and women, just like you. So I encourage you, if you're listening to this as we close out, please prayerfully consider, talk to somebody your spouse, your parents, a pastor at church, whatever but let them know about Stand Strong Ministries and see the work that God is doing in and through us and come alongside us, partner with us, give what you can so we can meet this goal, so we can come strong into 2025 to continue to share Christ with others. Love you, guys. Until next time, keep standing strong in the word of God. Thank you.